On The Winds of Change
by EthernalRain
Summary: This is the story of Third Year, S-Class Butei, Akira "The Walking Armada" De Leon. A drifter by nature, he lazed about as life went on. Loved by family, loved by friends. Saving lives, living on... Life was perfect. Until the day he joined EU.
1. Chapter 1: Every Waking Day

**On The Winds of Change**

**Chapter 1**

**Every Waking Day**

**An Aria the Scarlet Ammo OC Story**

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><p><strong>I do not own Aria the Scarlet AmmoHidan no Aria.**

**I'm actually doing this. I'm posting up all the ideas running through my head so I can claim ownership of concepts and such.**

**This is the story of Third Year, S-Class Butei, Akira "The Walking Armada" De Leon. A drifter by nature, he lazed about as life went on. Loved by family, loved by friends. Saving lives, living on... Life was perfect. Until the day he joined EU.**

**I promise you guys, this will get good. **

**It is also definite AU. And it's an OC story, which I have somewhat of a penchant for writing.**

THIS IS A LIGHT NOVEL BASED STORY! SOME MAJOR SPOILERS HERE! PLEASE READ IT AT BAKA-TSUKI! AND SUPPORT THEIR HARD WORK IF YOU CAN! BECAUSE THEY ARE F-ING AWESOME!

**So anyway...**

**Current MAJOR Project list:**

**- Heart of the Machine (Infinite Stratos, also the most popular in the section!)**

**- Cheating Fate (Mahou Sensei Negima, few reviews, but some rather positive feedback to it.)**

**- Till the End of the World (Death Note, very, very new. I posted it for the reason in the second sentence.)**

**-And now, this.**

**SO LET'S DO THIS!**

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><p><strong>Two men sat down in front of a TV. One pulled out a bag, labelled "Evidence." Inside, was a disc, covered in dried blood.<strong>

**The other man took the bag from him, and took the disc. He inserted it into a DVD player attached to the TV.**

**A young man appeared on the screen.**

"_**My name is Akira De Leon. Known to the world as "The Walking Armada" for my ability to have a multitude of about 30 weapons, preferably firearms, of any sort, stashed hidden on my person, such as in my jacket or a large bag, and then use them to my full advantage. There is also another reason that cannot be disclosed at the time. I grew up in Madrid, Spain, as the son of a Spanish Assault Butei, and a Japanese Inquesta Butei. At the age of 7, I moved to Tokyo, Japan. At the age of 11, my father died on the job, leaving me a heirloom, and my mother a widow. At the age of 12, I enrolled into Tokyo Butei Middle School. At the age of 12, I went on a little adventure with my father's friend. And at the age of twelve..."**_

**Both men watching leaned forward in interest.**

"_**At the age of 12, I joined EU."**_

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>Keep moving kid!"<strong>_

"_**Professor!" I shout as I see the man struck by a bullet to the chest. The metal slug flattened on impact, and the man just shrugged it off, literally, like nothing.**_

_**More bullets rained down around us.**_

"_**Go Akira, I'll hold them off!" He was still fine after taking a "fatal" hit. That's the almighty Professor for you.**_

"_**Why the fucking hell did I agree to this?-!" I shout after him, shooting back at our assailants. "We're in the middle of fucking nowhere, shooting at people, and hunting after some weird element that gives people superpowers! Now tell me! WHY AM I VIOLATING EVERY BUTEI LAW THAT EXISTS? WHY AM I SCREWED BEYOND HUMANE PROPORTIONS? AND WHY FUCK ARE WE HERE OF ALL PLACES?-! HERE! HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NEVADA FUCKING DESERT?-!" I shout as I throw a grenade, and watched the explosion and the subsequent, sickeningly satisfying burst of blood and gore.**_

"_**Cause you are going to be my student, that's why!"**_

"_**I didn't agree to that yet!"**_

"_**Well your father did! Debt to a friend he called it! I owed him for his valuable contributions to my personal research, and now I'm going to pay back that long lasting debt! Your father put his trust in me, so you should too!" The Professor said to me, still shooting.**_

"_**And look what happened to him!" I snap sarcastically.**_

"_**I have over 150 years worth of memories and self-pity, darn it! I have made and make mistakes! So have you!"**_

_**I don't answer him, as I throw a knife, and watch it jam into some guy's neck. I grit my teeth in guilt and regret.**_

"_**I can admit that." I concede.**_

"_**Then why are you acting with such a stubborn behaviour?" The Professor calmly asked amidst the rampant violence.**_

"_**You learn to carefully analyze every kind of situation." I explain.**_

_**The Professor sighed. "Then what do you think about this whole agreement?" He asked me as we kneel down to avoid shrapnel and stray bullets.**_

"_**I think it may be rather profitable, but not something I'm really sure of." I reply.**_

"_**You can learn a lot with that kind of outlook. Are you prepared to learn more? To do more than what you can do, just as a Butei?" The Professor asks me.**_

_**We're silent for a moment. Though we really can't tell what the hell silence is at the moment in the middle of a "warzone".**_

"_**I'm ready."**_

_**The Professor gives a smile, and extends his hand to me. I shake it.**_

"_**Welcome to EU."**_

* * *

><p><strong>Beeeep! Beeeep!<strong>

Light flickered into the room, waking me. I sit up, rubbing my eyes as I look around. In the bed across the room from mine, I see my roommate. Still asleep, a goofy expression on his face with a hentai manga open and draped over his eyes.

Pervert.

"Oi, Hentai-Baka! Wake up!" I shout. I get snores as a response. I sigh. I walk over to his desktop table and pull out his gun, a nice USP .45, and slip a blank into the chamber.

I aim it up. **Bang!**

He scampers awake, pulling the manga off his face. Then he notices me.

"Damn it Akira, what time is it?"

"8:00 AM." I tell him.

"But it's Saturday..."

"We have quests to go on. Also, I've got some "business" again, so you need to go shopping for groceries." I tell him.

"Oh fine. Will you finally tell me what kind of business you need to go on?" He asks.

"No can do, Kouhei." I tell him.

Kouhei Takeda, my best friend. I trust the guy with my life, but with none of my secrets. He's a calm, passive person, but like many guys his age, he has a severe case of closet pervert.

"Is it an SSR thing?" He asks me.

"No, it's not a supernatural research thing." I tell him.

"Then what?"

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." I tell him yet again.

He sighs. "Fine, just let me sleep in for a few hours, then we can quest all you like. Go chill with your girlfriend for a while."

"Are you kidding me? After the last time I pissed her off by accident, she went perfectionist-mode on me!"

"Not my problem, dude. Deal with it yourself."

"Damn." I mutter. "Also, keep your porn to yourself."

"_**GACK! It's not porn! It's art! JUST VERY, VERY GOOD ART!**_" He shouts, and quickly hides his magazine.

"Porn is porn. Deal with it, Hentai-Baka." I tell him. I can tolerate this, but sometimes, he should just stay calm and passive like in public.

"I understand why you trash the stuff..." He grumbled. "But you already have your girlfriend offering you, every hour, the real thing..."

"Shut it. Don't make me go Armada on you."

"Alright, alright." Kouhei sighed. "I'm going back to sleep. Wake me up later, but peacefully." He slouched back into his bed.

Now what... I might as well visit her again... But this time with my route. I haven't forgotten the backlash of just walking up and knocking on her front door.

I groan in an uncomforting way.

I still remember having bullets and blades thrust at me over and over again. And then when they recognised me... _**AGH... They were so grabby, touchy, and pully...**_

I shudder. It was a memory on par with the shit I've seen in EU... Well, maybe a bit less than that, but...

I sigh, and think of what I'm going to do today. I smile at my decision. I send a text on my phone. After I get a response, I pack up the remaining food in the dorm into a picnic basket, and head out.

No food for the lazy pervert.

* * *

><p><strong>A "Butei" is a national qualification established to fight against the worsening crime condition within the country, permitting people holding this license to arm themselves and enter a crime scene to capture criminals, just like the police force. But, unlike the police, a "Butei" is motivated by money and they can take on any kind of job as long as it is permitted under the Butei Laws, no matter how dangerous or trivial it is. <strong>**To put it simply, they are mercenaries.**

**-Definition of a Butei.**

* * *

><p>I make my way to the docks. As soon as I arrive, I take a deep breath of ocean air, picnic basket in hand. I grin as I see my baby. My other baby.<p>

The first thing I blew my money from EU missions on was this thing. My medium-sized yacht. I spent a lot of time sailing this thing, with my friends and/or my girlfriend. And when I say a lot of time, I mean a LOT, sometimes I skip classes to sail.

I do have enough credits to graduate as a full-fledged Butei, and there's always EU there to back me up...

"Akira-kun!" A voice chimes as a pair of arms loop around my neck.

"Yuriko-chan." I smile as I look into those wine-red eyes, and wipe away a lock of that hazel hair.

Yuriko Chikanatsu. My loving, perfect/perfectionist, mind-blowing/psychopathic girlfriend... The girl I will love and cherish for the entirety of my probably/obviously short life.

I take her by the hand, and lead her onto the boat. I untie it, and soon, we're out on the water. I take the wheel, and propel us out of the bay, out into the sea. The school was a tiny blip behind us, as the waves drifted us along the surface of the water.

I have a licence from Logi to sail this thing, so I'm not in any trouble.

I walk to the deck, and sit down beside Yuriko.

"Your collar's all messy..." She pouts, and reaches over to fix it. "There, nice and clean." She smiles, and puts a sandwich into my mouth. I eat it happily, and she kisses my cheek as I do.

Kouhei comments that she would make the perfect wife, and that I should pool up all that money that I get "out of nowhere" and propose to her. I'm still too young, and it's still too early... If I could, I would.

There's about a year until graduation. I can wait.

Yuriko leans on my shoulder, eying the morning sky appreciatively. I wrap my arm around her, pulling her close. I love these moments. These little things that will last with a person forever...

The moments you just wish would never end...

_**Ring. Ring. Ring.**_

But alas, they always do. I kiss a pouty Yuriko on the lips, then head into the cabin and hop onto couch.

I answer my cell phone, rather quickly after peeking at the caller ID.

"Hello?" I say into the phone.

"_**Akira-kun! You ready for our mission with you and Riko?**_" A voice chimes to me.

It's Riko, Riko Mine... My subordinate in EU, and my partner for some of its missions... I have the hunch that she's not "right" in the head... The way she dresses, and the way she always talks in third person...

That and her taste in video games is... _**Peculiar...**_

"Yeah, I 'm ready... We're dealing with killers that are drugs and arms traffickers tonight, right? Shoot to kill, EU rules?"

"_**That's what Riko heard! But you're gonna be doing all the dirty stuff, Riko doesn't like blood...**_"

"Alright." I agree. It's not pretty, but it needs to be done. "Bring your irokane, and come with a lot of ammo, there's a lot of scum we're cleaning out today. Also, bring a metal suitcase, I hear rumours there's gonna be an irokane shipment that's coming along with the stuff. The Professor would like to get his hands on it for research." I tell her.

"_**Riko will!**_" She chimes.

"Will you stop talking in the third person?" I snap. I am seriously getting tired of this.

"_**Nuh-uh. Riko doesn't want to.**_"

"Anything I do that will make you stop?" I ask her as I drink some water.

"_**There's this game I want, and Ki-kun can't get it for me because...**__"_

I spit-take.

"**I can't get you that! It's rated 18+! And why fuck does a girl like you want an eroge? A **_**lolicon **_**eroge at that!**" I exclaim, surprised. This is rather awkward.

"_**Umu, Riko wants it...**_"

"I would rather put up with your eccentrics, than get screwed for providing a minor with adult materials. EU relations or not, I will get fucked if I get you that game." I tell her bluntly.

"_**Riko thinks you're a meanie.**_"

"Tough luck kiddo."

"_**Riko's 16!**_"

"Still a kid by EU's standards."

"_**Meanie!**_"

"Yeah yeah, just meet me by the Logi warehouse later, alright?"

"_**Alright... Meanie.**_" She cuts the call.

I sigh, and head back onto the deck. Where I'm tackled to the deck of the yacht by Yuriko.

"Akira-kun!" She chimes before kissing me. I kissed back. Still loving these moments... And is that tongue I feel swirling around the inside of my mouth?

And a hand, groping my-

Yep, I'm surrounded by _**perverts**_. _**They're all freaking perverts**_.

* * *

><p><strong>Irokane is a metal with supernatural attributes. It is known as the Core of the Supernatural World. Much coveted, the world is about to be dragged into a new war because of the existence of this metal. Certain groups around the world hold large amounts of high-grade Irokane, <span>one of them being EU.<span>**

**-Definition of Irokane.**

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><p>I'm waiting in front of the Assault department gymnasium, waiting for Kouhei.<p>

"The bastard's late..." I grumble. We'll only have enough time for one quest today, before I have to go on my "mission".

I felt a hand on my shoulder, so I gripped the forearm of its owner and tossed him or her over my head.

It was Kouhei. He wriggled futilely on the ground, which unsheathed his sword and released his pistol.

"You're late." I tell him as he picks his weapons up and puts them away.

"So what have you picked up today...?" Kouhei asks as he dusts himself off.

"Just some arrests."

"Criminal, any weaponry and a motive?"

"Verified suspect of a robbery, he's got a few guns, and something to do with intimidation and stalking."

"Alright, let's go."

We head to the train station, and hitch a ride to Downtown Tokyo.

"Yeah, this dude's targeting numerous stalls and stores, stealing their money at gunpoint." I tell Kouhei as I eat a piece of takoyaki I bought.

"Do we have a name?" He asked me as he took a huge bite of a hakuun-no-hotori.

"No, just a face..." I reply.

"Where do we start off?" He asks.

"The last sighting, and we can start off from there."

**Bang.**

"Guess we don't need to look."

We ran in the direction of the gunshot, and found people fleeing from a convenience store. Inside, a man had a gun to the shopkeeper's head, yelling at him to give him the money in the register.

I took up cover near the entrance, Kouhei backing me up.

"Damn it man! Hurry up!" The man shouted to the shopkeeper.

Kouhei motioned for me to move up. I slithered into the shop, ducking into an aisle as the man looked in my direction.

I snuck through the aisle, careful not to make any noise. When I reached the side of the store, I turned into the next aisle so I had a clear view of the man's back. I walked carefully and slowly, creeping up behind the guy.

I was a few feet away from him, a knife sliding into my hands from a sheath in my sleeve. I'm almost there, and I see Kouhei garnering the man's attention. When his head snaps to the right to see Kouhei, I lurch forward, and place the knife at the man's neck, stopping him.

"You're under arrest." With a twist of my forearm, the man's unconscious.

We wait for the police as the shopkeeper thanks us. I cock an eyebrow at Kouhei's prideful expression. "What's with you?"

"I dunno," He replies, "I just like feeling like I've done something good. Like a hero, swooping in and saving the day." He gives a foolish grin.

"We do so at least every other day... But why are you acting up now?" I ask.

"I don't know. We've been doing this for about a few years now? We've done so much, and helped so many people. I really do feel like a hero now, not just some teenaged mercenary wielding a gun and sword." He chuckled.

I gave him a soft smile. "I guess I feel the same." Then I whack him over the head.

"What was that for?-!" He exclaimed, surprised.

"You were late! Now we don't have time to do any more quests!" I snap at him, now slightly pissed.

He still grins, but with an abashed expression on his face.

Kouhei walks off to do the shopping, and I head back to the Logi warehouse. It's not mission time yet, but Riko wants to meet me for some reason...

I'm carrying a large bag holding a lot of guns.

"Akira-kun!" A voice chimes.

Standing there in Lolita clothes was Riko. I sigh, as she peppers me with her eccentrics.

"So, what do you want to do? Riko wants to scope out the area first, and then get some food and shop! Like a date!"

"Sure." I agree to the first one. Then I blink at her second request. "Wait, what?"

"Yay!" Riko chimes, "Let's go!" She grabs me by the hand, dragging me off.

We make our way back to the city, and onto the rooftop of an office building. We look in all directions, scoping out all the vantage points for the battle to come.

"You're dealing with the messy stuff." Riko tells me.

"I know, I know. I'm prepared." I shrug her off to continue my analyzing.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah. I'm ready. Wait... oh shit." Should have told her I wasn't. I'm about to speak when she squeals.

"Let's go!" She chimes, dragging me back with her again.

An hour later, I'm carrying about 20 bags of a variety of clothing items, some of which barely qualify as clothing that Riko bought. Added the weight of the bag of guns on my bag, it's not really heavy but it's really fucking constricting... I groan as she runs toward another store.

"When can we leave?" I ask.

"When Riko says we can!" She chimes, now pulling me to a burger joint. I still can't stand her eccentrics.

I eat a burger as she rummages through what she bought. She giggles gleefully when she looks over what catches her eyes.

"You finally ready for the mission?" She nods.

"I'll meet you there when it's time." She tells me, running off with her stuff.

I blink. "Then why did I meet you now of all times?-!" I shout after her.

"Because I wanted to have fun!" She shouts back, still running.

I sigh. Just my luck...

* * *

><p>It's dead at night, and I'm waiting back at the Logi warehouse, clad in body armor and a custom combat mask, preparing a car.<p>

"Akira-kun!"

Running up to me is Riko, but wearing body armor and a helmet this time.

"Hop in." I tell her, and she complies.

We drive off into the city that was still vibrant with life.

"Where to?" Riko asks. "The same place as earlier?"

I nod. "The downtown district, the warehouse area near the public docks... The exchange will be happening there, the Professor wants us to check for irokane. That, and we'll be dealing with the drug and arms dealers, cause the Armed Prosecutors are too damn chickenshit to deal with it themselves. No witnesses, and we destroy the "product" on the spot, that should slow down their profits." I tell her.

"Alright. But you're dealing with the messy parts. I'll just help with the collection and erasure of evidence." She says, loading her guns.

I nod, and pull into a dark alley. "Here's our stop." I tell her, getting out of the car. I walk over to the trunk, and pull out my bag of guns. I'll need them for this.

"Watch my back, and tell me if you see anything." I tell Riko, as I unzip a bit of the bag, leaving an opening for me to pull out what I need.

She nods with a small smile, ready and prepared. I unholster my faithful Beretta 93R. The first gun I have ever owned. The first gun I used as a Butei.

And the first gun I used to kill a man.

"Let's go."

We walk through the maze of alleys, making our way to the public docks. We hop into a warehouse, taking up position at the office inside on the second floor. There, we could watch the dealing.

"Stay quiet." I whisper to her, receiving a nod in acknowledgment.

Two groups of ten men meet at the center of the near empty warehouse. We can't hear them from where we stand, but we can see them perfectly. They are all armed, boxes of guns and drugs on trolleys beside them. These are our guys.

I see a man open a suitcase, and show it to another man. Inside, is a large chunk of a gold green coloured metal. Bingo. That's the irokane.

"I'm moving in." I tell Riko, and I slither out the office door. I creep quickly down the stairs, making no sound. I huddle behind oil barrel after oil barrel, making my way closer. The exchange is almost over, and then the men will disappear with their profits.

"Is everything to your liking?" A man asks the other.

"Yes, it is. If I may ask, where did you get your hands on this?" He gestures to the case containing the irokane.

"Why, it wouldn't do if my customer knew the place where I could easily get the product." The man chuckled.

The other man pulls up a gun, and soon, they are all facing off guns aimed at each other.

"Tell me where you got this "product"." The man demands, an impatient expression on his face.

I'm about to let them finish each other off, but then I remember that Riko is behind me, in the office. She could get hurt by a stray bullet from the impending crossfire. That or the weak rusty supports that carry the office will snap, causing the thing to collapse.

Either way hurting or killing Riko...

Well shit. It's fighting time.

I aim my gun at an oil barrel.

**Bang.**

The thing goes up in flames, drawing the men's attention.

"What was that?-!"

"Over there!"

"Shoot damn it! Shoot!"

The men riddle burning barrel and its surroundings with bullets.

I walk up behind them, as they were unaware my presence.

"Hello there. And goodbye." I say with a slight grin, alerting them.

As they turn around, I pull the right sleeve of my combat jacket, as I aim my right hand at the men.

Strapped to my arm, is a dark, blood-red chain, covering the complete length of my forearm. My grin grows wide.

The men aim their guns at me, waiting for me to do something.

"_**Cadena de la Armada Sangrientos. Chain of the Bloody Armada.**_"

The chain glows with a blood-red light.

The zipper slides down the bag strapped to my back. All on it's own. Slowly drifting as if held aloft by invisible puppet wires, 12 semi-automatic shotguns floated in the air, aimed at the men.

**Cadena de la Armada Sangrientos. Chain of the Bloody Armada.** A family heirloom... An irokane.

An irokane of telekinesis.

"Lock." The shotguns pumped.

"Aim." The shotguns shifted in the air, barrels aimed at the men, who were paralyzed in a mix of morbid fascination.

I grin.

"Fire."

The shotguns opened fire.

**Bang.**

**Bang.**

**Bang.**

After a few seconds and three large volleys of pure explosive bliss, only a large red puddle of blood and gore are left.

I pick up the now battered metal suitcase, and take out the irokane.

"Riko!" The girl walks up to me. "Put this in that suitcase you brought, and head back to the car. I'll deal with the evidence." I tell her, as the shotguns drift into my bag.

She nods, taking the irokane, stashing it, and leaving.

I turn to the remaining barrels of oil, grinning. I pop off the caps, and kick the barrels in every direction, spraying oil all over the warehouse.

I pull out my lighter, and light up a strand of oil snaking towards me. I turn, and leave.

As soon as I'm a block away from the warehouse, I watch it engulf in flames. I smile. Even though I have quite the twinge of guilt... My smile drops, and I turn around and leave.

"Another job well done..." I murmur.

* * *

><p><strong>A Butei may take any job, as long as it does not violate the Butei Law. There are nine laws pertaining to the mercenaries known as Butei.<strong>

**I. Believe in your comrades and help each other.**

**II. You must fulfill the contract in the commission.**

**III. You must become stronger. But above all, you must support justice.**

**IV. A Butei must learn to become independent. You can not help him if he does not request it. **

**V. Be as fast as a gust of wind. Butei must win in one blow.  
><strong>

**VI. Reflect by yourself, act by yourself.**

**VII. Be ready with pessimism. Act with optimism.  
><strong>

**VIII. Your mission must be resolved completely.  
><strong>

**IX.** **Regardless of the situation, a Butei cannot kill.**

**These laws must be followed to the letter, as these are the laws that define and differentiate Butei from the average mercenary.**

**- The Butei Law  
><strong>

* * *

><p>I stand on top of the dorm building with Riko, suitcase with the irokane in hand. I place a communicator into my ear.<p>

"You here yet?"

"We're here."

A helicopter flies over us, hovering above the dorm building.

"We're sending down the wire."

"Alright. I see it." I tell the helicopter crew, squinting at the wire as it came down. "Make sure this gets to the Professor."

"As soon as we get back to the Vostok." The pilot tells me.

"A little to the left... Perfect." I clip the wire to the suitcase. "Send it up." The case is pulled all the way to the helicopter.

"Hey, where's the payment, you know there's the payment." I ask.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." The pilot tells me.

"Well hurry up!" I tell them, slightly impatient. I've got stuff to do.

"Riko sees something falling..." She said, squinting up.

I look up.

**SMACK.**

A box slams into my face, knocking me over. I hear laughter, and calls of "Nice one", "Good hit", etc.

I grumble as I open the box. It's filled with 5000 yen bills. I grin. This should last Kouhei, Yuriko, and I for a while.

"Ah-hem."

I look up. Riko pouts at me.

"You get your share too. Just don't blow it off on your outfits and games-" She cuts me off as she takes a chunk of the bills and puts it in a bag.

"You should get back to your dorms, Riko knows it's almost time for the Raid. Though I'll be ready for you guys." She chimes, and runs off. Before I can ask where she got her info, she jumps, and with a hidden wire, rappels down the side of the dorm. I sigh, and walk over to the ledge of the building. I clip a wire from a multi-purpose gadget hidden in my left sleeve.

I rappel down to my balcony.

Kouhei waves to me, already loading his gun with blank bullets.

"You ready for the Raid?"

"I am." I give him a grin as I go to my room to grab my own few clips of blank rounds.

Our destination tonight? The second year dorms.

Why? It's a yearly tradition. Involving the raiding of the second year dorms during an undisclosed time and date...

And why the fuck, do we do that? To find an apprentice we train for about a 6 month term to prepare them for third year and graduation. Your teacher will more or less be the one responsible for easing you into real Butei life after graduation, so a lot of them become life-long friends to their students.

So in the dead of night, we violently herd the second year boys and girls into the dorm office lobby, (the teachers support this, but the first years are scared shitless) line them up, and take our turns picking them. Most of the second years want to be picked by someone capable who can help raise their rank. Others want someone laid back. And the rest are just scared out of their minds.

So a lot of them are pining for the S-class Butei. But to make it fair, instead of the usual, take-your-turn-and-pick, the S-Class students just walk up, evaluate, and haul the lucky/unlucky student off. Most often, S-class Butei pick B to S-Class Butei.

So Kouhei, Yuriko and I plus two other students get to pick their apprentices.

This is gonna be fun... But I don't really want an apprentice. Too much work and time are wasted when I can do something productive... Like sailing with my girlfriend and/or friends...

Yeah, I'm lazy. But I can at least have fun with this.

The third years quietly file into the dorms, the boys heading into the boys dorms, the girls heading into the girls dorms, and then we herd them all into the second year dorm office.

I'm with Kouhei, and I place a few breaching charges. I take the switch, and stand back.

"All clear."

"Let it rip."

I press the switch.

**Boom.**

The door hinges are blown off, and I kick down the door. I unholster my gun, and open fire.

Gunshots echo throughout the building, as the second years are violently awoken and forcefully herded from their beds to the school dorm. I keep opening fire as I use my hands and legs to roughly push and coerce the boys in this dorm into the hall, where there are a bunch of boys in their sleeping clothes running, walking, jogging, crawling, etc., to the dorm office lobby.

Some of them, humorously, are still in their underwear. If you're a girl during raid time, the then the third year girls will allow you to get changed before they force you to leave. But if you're a boy... You go with whatever clothes you have on your back at the moment.

If you're unlucky enough to have nothing on... You bare all, and walk into the dorm office the same way you come into this world...

Naked like a baby...

Though almost all the time, a third year or a fellow second year will take pity on you and give you something to wear. Like a shirt you can use as a loin cloth, but that's it.

We manage to get everyone into the office. They know what's going on, and are already trying to impress the teacher they want... Though a lot of them are looking for us S-class students...

I walk through the line, looking for somebody that really couldn't care less about this all. I don't really want to do have an apprentice, they're more like dead weight...

And I can't comply with my business and affiliations with EU with someone that's not Yuriko hanging off my arm for whatever teachings they can milk out of me.

The other two S-class students grab the people they like, one of them takes Riko for some reason, and the other takes this robotic girl from Snipe, named Reki.

Kouhei takes his pick already, a girl that caught his eye, probably because she was an ability user that owned an irokane, her name was Shirayuki Hotogi, I kept tabs on her because EU had some interest in her. Kouhei took her outside to get to know her.

Yuriko looked around for a student. She kneeled down beside this short girl who looked like she was about to blow a fuse. "I'll take you!" She chimed, glomping her because of her cute stature. The girl struggled, physically expressing her agitation. I knew about her because she made quite the show in the London Butei School, and her relation to the Professor.

The stupid bastard also used his own family, the girl's mother as a scapegoat. I nearly lost all respect for the man, respect for his tutelage and respect for his knowledge all that was left. It took a few years for him to earn that respect back.

The girl's name?

Aria H. Kanzaki.

Yuriko practically carried her out.

Then I'm left. People left and right are throwing themselves at me. I really don't want an apprentice! There are better things to spend my time on, other than training a kid who wants to loot me of what knowledge I have!

I grit my teeth, and "wade" through the small sea of students. They each of them are begging for me to pick them, and I'm seriously fed up. I grab the **LEAST** motivated kid out of all of them, and there's suddenly silence. This guy's probably weak, and low maintenance.

Perfect for the apprentice I probably won't teach a single thing, other than the simple stuff!

I drag him by the collar out into the night air.

"What's your name, kid?"

"..." The boy grumbles, a depressed expression on his face. "_I wanted to leave..._" The boy continues to grumble.

"What's your name? Can't hear you."

"Kinji. Kinji Tooyama." The boy says.

"We'll have a lot of fun Tooyama. You can count on it." I fake enthusiasm.

And who knew I would be right...

"_I was planning to **give up** this business..._" Kinji groaned.

* * *

><p><strong>The Butei Charter is the Code of Conduct for every Butei. A Butei should follow these guidelines to be successful in whatever field they choose. There are similarities between the Laws and these Charters, such as a few are the same for both. The Laws are obligations, mandatory. These Charters are less enforced, but one should keep one thing in mind. These Charters are what can decide between life and death for a Butei forging hisher path.  
><strong>

**I. Believe in your comrades and help each other.  
><strong>

**II.** **You must fulfill the contract in the commission.**

**III.** **You must become stronger. But above all, you must support justice.**

**IV. A Butei must learn to become independent. You can not help him if he does not request it.  
><strong>

**V. Be as fast as a gust of wind. Butei must win in one blow.  
><strong>

**VI. Reflect by yourself, act by yourself.  
><strong>

**VII. Be ready with pessimism. Act with optimism.  
><strong>

**VIII. Your mission must be resolved completely.  
><strong>

**IX. Launch out to the world. Co-operate with others, not differentiating between race or nationality.  
><strong>

**X. Do not give up. Butei must not give up for any reason.**

**- The Butei Charters.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1 COMPLETE!<strong> **The first chapter of this story is done! Now I need a break. If this gets enough reviews, then it will be fully green lit as a project... ****So R/R, enjoy life, read great fiction, and let the creative juices flow. And not only for you lemon writers. Aw well. – EthernalRain**


	2. Chapter 2: Morals of the Story

**Chapter 2**

**Morals of the Story**

* * *

><p><strong>I do not own Aria the Scarlet Ammo.<strong>

**So... Not much to say here. Normally I would have something like an Author's Rant cooked up for your entertainment, but I've got nothing. Nothing at all...**

MAJOR LIGHT NOVEL SPOILERS ARE STILL HERE! READ THE LIGHT NOVEL AT BAKA-TSUKI!

**Anyway, I guarantee something's going to catch your eye this chapter. I've got no catchy slogan or words to get you into reading... So, like I do with most of my stories...**

**LET'S DO THIS!**

* * *

><p>"Come on! Move your ass!" I was outside, jogging with my new apprentice.<p>

"Damn... You..." Kinji panted, completely exhausted. It was our tenth lap around the man-made island. I sigh. I forgot kids these days were so unfit.

I let him catch up to me. Then I pull my gun out and level it at his head.

"What the hell?-!" He falls to the ground, looking up at me.

"Bang." I make the motion of the gun firing. "If this were real, you'd be dead. A Butei should be prepared for anything."

"But I don't even want to be a Butei!" Kinji argues.

"Your brother wouldn't say something like that."

Kinji scowls. "What do you know?-! You don't know anything about him, or anything about me!" He shouts.

"More than you'll probably ever know." I admit.

"What does that mean?" Kinji growls as he helps himself up.

"If you knew, I'd have to kill you."

"What are you, some sort of operative for some secret organization?"

I just chuckle, and continue my run.

* * *

><p>Later, I'm sitting on my bed, holding my phone. I'm thinking about calling someone, but I hesitate. I soon give in, and dial in the number... Hopefully the guy is free.<p>

"_**Hello?**_"

"Hello, Kinichi."

"_**What is it Akira? I've just gotten out of a HSS strain... Say, what have I missed these last ten days while I was unconscious?**_"

"Not much, life went on. I've got an apprentice now."

"_**Oh? The "unsociable, unapproachable" Armada decided to get an apprentice? Who is it? Many in EU want you to teach them something.**_"

"And what could they teach me in return? Nothing of major value, that's what..."

"_**So what if it is of little value? It's still valuable. Anyway, what's the name of your apprentice?**_"

"A certain Kinji, Kinji Tooyama. Ring a bell?"

There's silence over the phone.

"..._**Really?**__"_

"Yes, really. Your little brother."

"_**He must be a great Butei by now. Just like Father.**_"

"Er..."

"_**... He doesn't like the profession much, doesn't he...? I should have figured. What rank is he? Give it to me.**_"

"He's ranked E. _**E**_, for god's sake. I assume he's an S rank under Hysteria Mode, but without it... He's weak. And extremely unfit."

"_**... Oh really? How do you know? How did you measure him?**_"

"He couldn't keep up with me on a simple jog around the island."

"_**... And how many laps?**_"

"... About ten."

"_**Akira, you've got to remember that normal people can't keep up with people like us.**_"

"Normal my ass! He's got a superpower/genetic trait that turns him into a suave killing machine every time he feels like he's about to get a hard on!"

"_**... It's a perverted world we live in, but who cares as long as it keeps us alive. And healthy. And entertained.**_"

"I can agree with that... So... Are you dressed like a girl right now? And am I talking to Kana or Kinichi at the moment?"

"_**... You just had to ask... And it's Kinichi right now.**_"

"Yes, I did, you crossdressing son of a bitch..." I chuckle.

"_**Watch your mouth.**_"

"Anyway, is there anything needed for me to do? I haven't been to the Vostok in months... I wanna know if there's anything else needed for me to do other than here in Tokyo."

"_**I just so happen to have a job for you in Kyoto. It specifically requests for you. Are you up for it?**_"

"Don't you want me to train your brother?"

"_**He**_ _**can handle himself... I hear Riko has something in store for him. Say, how's Vlad? Still a sadistic little prick?**_"

"You bet he is... Still looking for a chance to kill the bastard..."

"_**Why haven't you already? You know his weaknesses and have an advantage over him."**_

"The power vaccum that will result... I don't think I could handle the amount of people fighting over the spot of EU's #2."

"_**True... Any action for you as the Moderator? Something's probably gone up.**_"

"No, no..."

I am not ranked in EU. I am simply a "Moderator", a person who keeps the people affiliated with EU in line. I am responsible for keeping them orderly and efficient, coupled with removing any threats to the organization. I keep the organization secret, I keep the members from doing anything stupid that threatens the organization, and I keep the peace among the conflicting affiliates with and within the organization.

I'm a diplomat, a law enforcer, and a hitman all rolled into one.

"_**So? Will you take the job?**_"

"I'll take the job."

* * *

><p>I'm waiting for a bullet train to Kyoto. Apparently, I'm going to settle some hostilities between the Hotogi's Kyoto branch and an unknown party.<p>

_**Ring. Ring.**_

I answer my ringing phone. Caller ID says it's Kinji...

"_**AKIRA! MACHINE GUNS MOUNTED ON SEGWAYS ARE SHOOTING AT US!**_"

"... Goodbye." Ah, the stories kids tell these days.

"_**WAIT! SAVE US-**_" I cut the call.

Maybe I should have "saved them" from those "machine gun wielding segways"... Meh, he said "us". His friend can help him in some way. Ah, here's my train.

I step on. On to Kyoto for a few days...

I arrive in the culture filled city. It's a lovely place, I hope to take Yuriko here when I can. I exit the station, and a bus takes me to the outskirts of the city. Time to meet these Hotogi...

I arrive in front of some large estate. Wow, this place is pretty damn impressive. A priestess takes me into the garden. You could fit the entire Assault department building in here a few times, and that's not even adding the house, no, mansion...

So, that Shirayuki girl grew up in a place like this? No wonder she's old fashioned. This place is a shrine, or so I remember...

"Wait in here." The woman ushers me through a screen door after leading me through the colossal maze of a shrine, and I kneel down on the tatami mat.

"Are you Akira De Leon?"

I nod. Stepping into the room is a priestess, or so I assume from her elaborate outfit.

"I am Yuki Hotogi, and I am the Head Priestess of the Kyoto Hotogi branch. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"And I to you." I reply.

"My, my, so polite. Nothing like the inelegant brute I imagined." She smiles seductively at me. She's a rather beautiful woman, and if I weren't already in an amazing relationship, I'd be staring at her and drooling by now.

"I'm here for business. So, may I ask, what is the reason for which I am needed?" I ask.

"Straightforward as well..." She muses. "No matter. To answer your question, we have some "difficulties" with a splinter group of the Hotogi. They are radicals, who have resorted to violence to voice their adversity." She explains.

"And how would you like me to deal with these "radicals"?"

"I fear negotiations are beyond us. I regret coming to this decision, but like many before me, I have decided... Violence must be fought with violence." She sighs.

I nod. "Where do I start?"

"I'd suggest scoping around the city; they have taken up residence there."

"That's fairly vague, the city's pretty big." I answer. I need more details.

"I have seen some things through my divination, and you'll be rather surprised of what I have seen about your future."

Ah, the famed Hotogi Miko Divination. Rumoured to have the ability to see the future...

"Then do pray tell, what does fate have in store for a plebeian like me?" I ask.

"Akira De Leon... You will encounter _**six**_ major things in your life. You will adopt a _**kitten**_ off the streets, you will kill a _**demon**_ in his sleep, you will fight for a _**princess **_chasing her throne, you will dance with a _**reaper **_in his home, you will wage a _**war**_ under a burning flag, and..."

"And what?"

"You will sleep in _**death's**_ embrace."

"... Not very fortunate, is it." I muse.

"Entertaining, yes, but not very fortunate at all." She agrees. "But these events will shape your world, the world we live in, and world that's yet to come."

"Is that another prediction?"

"That's for me to know, and you to find out."

"Alright... I'll begin my work. Call me if you need something." I stand up, and leave the room.

"_Oh I'll call you alright... Though watch yourself as you leave..._" She whispers after me.

I figured she would say something like that. But really? A kitten, demon, and a princess? I did not expect that.

I honestly don't believe in this kind of the supernatural. It's a bit farfetched to me.

Suddenly, I can feel eyes watching me.

"_Is that a __**man**__?_"

"_Really? __**Here **__at the shrine?_"

"_He's from the __**outside**__!_"

The voices continue to whisper around me. I look around. People are starting to gather. Then I remember the one thing that bugged me about coming here, to the Hotogi shrine.

It's a miko shrine. A _**miko **_shrine. A _**women**_ only, miko shrine. **DAMN**.

How could I forget that? It's also completely forbidden for men to enter other than few exemptions. Such as myself...

"Evil man! Begone from this place!"

A young girl wielding a katana rushes at me. As she comes within cutting distance, I freeze her in place with telekinesis.

"What kind of evil magic is this?-!" Then she sees the faint red glow shining through my right arm.

"Irokane..." She murmurs.

I kneel down to her eye level, "I don't play around kid. I could snap you like a twig right now, and you wouldn't be able to do a thing."

She growls at me. "Don't be like that." I smile. "Tell you what, I'll take my irokane off, and we can brawl." I slip the chain off my arm, and slip it into my pocket. The telekinesis is still holding her in place.

"You're still using it! Take off your other irokane!" She scowls.

"I don't have another one." Her eyes widen in realization.

"I am Akira De Leon, 7th generation telekinesis ability user. Albeit a weak one. My ancestor could control an entire fleet of naval ships on his own without an irokane, while I can only control a few guns and anything within a four feet radius without it... So, what can you do about it, kiddo?"

"I'm not a kid! I'm 14!" She frowns.

"Well anyway, what can you do, other than divination?"

She grumbles. "Not much..."

"Exactly..." I release the hold on her. "I have business to deal with, a request from Yuki-san... Now go, shoo." I wave her away.

"Don't take me lightly!" She swings her sword at me again. I shift my head away from the blade, and freeze it in midair. I rip the sword out of her grip with my ability, and make it float in front of me so I can inspect it.

"A nice blade, I give my accolades to whoever made it." I make it do a few swings, and smile at its fluidity through the air. I take it by the hand, and hold out the handle to her.

"Well I have to go. See you around," I give a gesture for her name.

"Konayuki... Konayuki Hotogi."

"Well, see you around Konayuki-chan." I grin at her now abashed expression.

"**You can't call me that!**"

I chuckle, and turn around and walk to the exit.

* * *

><p>I weave through the city streets, chasing leads. I don't know where to start... I should have pegged for more information rather than listen to her junk about my future! I don't believe in that kind of thing anyway!<p>

I've been wandering for hours...

I stop walking. Might as well just get some snacks, and hopefully something will come out in regards to my job... I enter a convenience store, and come out loaded with snacks. I munch on a sweet bun, and continue on my way.

**Shuffle. Shuffle.**

I hear the sounds of something shuffling through the garbage as I pass an alley. It was probably some stray animal. I begin to walk again.

"_**Waaah...**_"

I freeze where I stand... I hear the sounds of crying.

"Hello?" I say, looking into the alley.

"_**It hurts...**_" I quickly run into the alley, looking around.

The sounds of whimpering grow louder. But where is it... Aha! I throw the lid off a dumpster.

Cowering amongst the garbage, is a tiny little girl. She cradled a cut hand close to her body, blood seeping from the wound onto the rags she had as clothes. At the sight of me, she squeals in fear, and tries to hide.

"I'm not going to hurt you. Let me see your hand." I say slowly, about to climb into the dumpster.

She shakes her head furiously, crawling to the corner of the dumpster. She's frightened, a hollow look of starvation and malnutrition plaguing her face.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I swear."

I climb into the dumpster, and manage to approach the girl... She was so little, so frail. I carry her in my arms, and get out of the dumpster.

"It's going to be okay." I assure her.

Something twitches on top of her head, in her hair. At first, I think it's a bug that crawled in there, but when I sweep my hand over her head... A pair of dark hazel brown cat ears with white tips twitches back at me, hidden among her similar coloured hair. Upon closer inspection, a tail slips out of her "clothes", swaying softly.

The girl has supernatural, "demonic" blood in her. Perhaps that's the reason she's out on the streets.

I run like hell back to the Hotogi shrine, telekinesis augmenting my running speed.

* * *

><p>"Yuki-san!" I shout, as I enter the large shrine building at a breakneck pace. Yuki's coming down a flight of stairs, and spots me.<p>

"What is it- Oh, you seem to have come across a little kitten- Oh my." She gapes at the girl in my arms. "I expected you to be a few days little one... No matter, to the infirmary!"

She whisks us off to an infirmary in the corner of the building.

"Sit here, little one, please don't cry, it'll be alright..." She takes the girl from my arms, and sets her on a bed. She takes her hand, disinfects it, and wraps bandages over the wound.

"It's okay now." She smiles at her. She turns to me, "I've got to go get something, I'll be right back." She rushes out of the room, and leaves us alone. I walk over to the girl, and sit beside her.

"Are you alright?" I ask her, wiping away the tears on her face. She puts up as strong a smile as she can. "I'll take that as a yes." I smile back.

**Gruuuuuuuuumble.**

Her stomach grumbles, and she places her tiny hands on it.

"I have just the thing." I chuckle. I unwrap a peach bun, and hold it out to her. She takes it from my hands gingerly, and takes a small bite.

She blinks, and as quickly as I ran here, the bun was in her stomach.

"Would you like another?" She nods vigorously. Soon, my snack supply dwindled to nearly nothing.

"I bet you enjoyed that." She gives an embarrassed expression at all the wrappers now littering the infirmary floor. She held the bun she was about to eat out at me, as if she was apologizing. I shake my head, and pat hers.

"It's okay." I reassure her. She quickly finishes the bun like all the others. She stretches, and suddenly rests herself in my lap. She purrs like a cat, and falls asleep.

I stroke her hair, making sure she was comfortable.

"She's rather attached to you, isn't she?"

My head snaps up. It's Yuki. "I couldn't get any leads." I tell her.

"You didn't have to. Because they don't exist." She replies.

I blink. It makes sense now... _**You will adopt a kitten of the street...**_

"You sent me on a wild goose chase across the city? Just to find this girl?"

"It is part of your destiny. Though I did figure it would be longer." I open my mouth to protest, but Yuki cuts me off with a wave of her hand.

"Oh hush. No matter how much you refuse to believe in something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I told the future, your future. It is up to you to decide on what happens. These events will come to pass, but it is you who will determine the outcome and the results. Fate is not set in stone. Your fate is not set in stone."

"... So these things you predict are going to happen? And I can't fight it?" I ask.

"Oh, you can fight all you want. It'll just make the event happen in a different way, possibly in a different interpretation of what I divined." She explained. "It's you who's going to deal with these events. Just have some flicker of faith in yourself, and you should survive."

"You predicted my death." I point out.

"But death claims everyone. It's just a matter of how. Death is the end. And so, it was your last prediction."

I give in. "So can you give me anymore details?" She shakes her head. "I figured."

"You may stay here in the infirmary. I will arrange transport for you back to the school in a few days... Oh, don't give me that look. Just relax, and enjoy yourself. May I ask you one question? Even if you dislike having your life predicted before you, do you regret helping this girl?"

... Do I?

"No. I don't." I admit.

"She seems rather attached to you." She giggled.

"Yeah... Yeah she does."

* * *

><p>I woke up in the infirmary, due to the sounds of, well, something. It sounded like an old blender attempting to crush ice. I open an eye. The girl's leaning against my side, purring.<p>

I sit up, and the girl climbs up on my back.

"Good morning." I say to her. I blink, when I realize I don't even know her name.

"Do you have a name?"

She shakes her head. "Do you want one?" She nods.

I have no clue on what to call her... Actually, I've got one.

"How about... Koneko?" She smiles, nodding. I smile back, petting her head.

"Let's go find something to eat." I let Koneko hang on my shoulders, resting beside my bag full of guns. Fortunately, I keep them unloaded until I need to fight... Because I'm pretty sure she kicked or pressed the triggers of a few of them.

"Good morning." I say to Yuki, who was waiting out on the front porch, sitting on a bench.

"Tea?" She asks, holding out a pot.

"No thanks." I reply, taking a seat beside her.

She gives a scone to Koneko, who eats it happily.

"We'll get a doctor and check the progress of her health over the next few days." She told me. "During that time, I'd recommend you get to know her."

"And what good will that do? Isn't she going to stay here?" I ask.

I feel Koneko freeze on my back. I turn my head around, and she's staring at me with huge watery eyes.

"D-Don't cry, Koneko-chan!" I say hastily. Dear god, I'm not good with kids.

"Just get to know her. It'll be good for her health." She pushes on.

"What about school work-"

"Your experiences with EU have already guaranteed that you have _**more **_than enough knowledge to pass school effortlessly." She argued, "Just do as I say, alright?"

I give in. "Alright."

* * *

><p>Over the next days, I more or less played babysitter for the cat-eared <em>girl<em>. I didn't have many complaints though. I somehow roped Konayuki into helping me. Koneko was getting healthier by the day.

At evening, after a long game of hide and seek, I found Koneko staring at the sunset. The little girl never spoke much, but it was easy to tell what she wanted. But now, I didn't have a clue.

I sat down beside her, and she leaned against me.

"_**Onii-chan...**_" She purred.

I pet her head, and watch the sunset. It's beautiful here in Kyoto.

"_Onii-chan?_"

"Yes Koneko?"

"_What's a family like?_" She asked, looking up at me.

"Hm... A family... A family is a group of people that you absolutely love the most. The people who spend time with you, the people who understand you, the people who care for you... Those people are your family." I explain.

She adopts a far off look. "_I've never had a family..._"

I wrap my arm around her. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll find one soon."

She presses against my side, and we continue to watch the setting sun.

Later, the children of the shrine are having an arts and crafts time, just playing around and being creative.

"I overheard what you said to Koneko on the roof this evening." Yuki says to me, as I watch the kids draw, paint, craft etc., "That was rather nice of you to say those things."

"They just felt like the right thing to say at the time."

"Oh? What happened to the cold, indifferent man that I heard rumours about?" She giggled.

"That's only during missions." I tell her.

"Isn't this supposed to be a mission?" She points out.

"This doesn't count..."

"Oh really? Well, then again, this is more a mission for yourself, rather than for EU." She notes.

"_Onii-chan!_" Koneko suddenly squeals, and runs over to us, "_I need to use the bathroom!_"

"I'll take you there." Yuki says, taking Koneko by the hand. "Come along now."

They leave the room, quickly. The girls are already filing out, talking about what they made for the day. I'm left to clean up the messes, all the stray paint and glue. As I sweep up cut paper, I come across a drawing, and pick it up gingerly.

Drawn on the paper, in messy crayon, are two people. A smiling young man held the hand of a younger, cat eared girl. Even though it was a messy drawing, it was clear who the two were... And scrawled in the same rough crayon on the top was...

_**My family.**_

I don't know how long I stood there, just looking at the photo.

"So, what do you do now?" My head swings. Yuki's standing at the doorway. "Koneko-chan's asleep... And you go back to school tomorrow. What do you do?"

I sit down on the table. "I don't know." I admit.

"That girl's attached to you. It's imperative to her psychological health that she stays with you. She even considers you to be her family." She says, sitting beside me.

"Did you predict this? All of this?" I ask weakly.

"I didn't. All I predicted was that you would adopt a kitten. You could have adopted a kitten, like an actual cat, and my prediction would have been correct, but... Remember, different interpretation. You found a kitten, just not what you thought." She replied.

"What do I do now? What am I _**supposed**_ to do?" I don't have a clue.

"Anything you want."

"I don't even believe in this future divination crap! We're talking about the life of a girl here! I'm not what's best for her!" I shout angrily. "I'm not some toy of circumstance!"

"You're not." She agrees.

"Then do I have to do this?" I ask.

"Do you want to do this?"

"... Yes. I do." I admit.

"But you don't have to. You could very well walk out that door, leave this shrine, and never come back. After all, you aren't a toy of circumstance. But will you take that first step? Will you forego the life of this girl, just so you can make a point?"

"I-"

"Don't answer, just act. I'll see your answer in the morning. If your still here. Good night." She leaves the room.

I sit there in thought, before standing. I wander the halls of the shrine, and somehow, I've ended up before the infirmary. I enter the room, and waiting on her bed is Koneko. She's curled up in a ball, eyes open. I sit down beside her.

I'm not the best choice for her. Not at all... But is that really for me to decide? I don't believe in this future divination crap.

I've seen the supernatural, like magic and the demonic, but seeing the future has its personal limits to me...

Could I give this girl a life? A good one at that?

... Whenever I'm troubled, I make a call to someone who probably has the best advice. So I pull out my phone, and make a call.

"_**Hello?**_"

"Professor?"

"_**Oh, Akira. Faring well, I presume?**_"

"Very well, thank you..."

"_**Is something the matter?**_"

"No- actually, yes... You see, I'm about to make a decision, that could change my life and the life of another. I've been told that it would be a good idea to go through with that decision, but I don't know if it's the right thing for me to do."

"_**Sounds like quite the predicament. But do you want to go through with it?**_"

"I do. Very, very much. But as I said, it's not the best decision."

"_**Are the consequences profound? Do the advantages/benefits outweigh them?**_"

"To be honest... I don't have a clue. It's a personal decision, not some sort of gamble... But the consequences are severe. Very severe. But the advantages... I believe they may be _**very**_ worth taking the decision... But what do you think?"

"_**Then boy, I'd go through with it. Be cautious, but move forward. Though give it some thought, some heavy thought. Don't blindly rush in, and if it doesn't go as well as you've anticipated it to be, then back out immediately. Just think about it first.**_"

I sigh. "Thanks Professor. Good night."

"_**Good night.**_" The call ends and I pocket my phone.

I cup my head in my hands, thinking. I don't know what to do. I'm scared, but not for myself... I don't know what to think.

**So what the hell do I do?-!**

The sound of Koneko snoring snaps me out of my reverie. I could **give this girl a life**. With the money I have, I could help her; give her a much better life than living out on the street. I could give her a family.

Or I could just abandon her, and let her **leave my life without a trace**. I could leave her here at the shrine, broken for the first time for losing someone she cared about. I could leave, and wouldn't feel guilty. After all, she was initially not my responsibility.

But she _**is**_ my responsibility now... And frankly, I do care about her. Very much, to be honest... I think I've made my decision.

I hope it's the right one.

I rest my head on the pillow, and Koneko subconsciously crawls onto my stomach.

Soon, I'm fast asleep.

* * *

><p>And then, the sounds of "Evil man!" wake me up.<p>

"Pervert!" I slightly creak an eye open. It's Konayuki, and she's gaping at us.

"Oh quiet, Konayuki." Yuki walks into the room.

"... Yes mother..."

... Konayuki is Yuki's daughter? I should have damn figured.

"Don't they look cute together?" Yuki comments. Konayuki just growls.

I slowly rise, eyes closed to pretend I was sleepwalking. I had my mouth slightly open, drooling.

"Must... Glomp... Konayuki..." I said, almost zombie-like.

"Die, you possessed man!" She swings a katana at me. It freezes in the air, and gets launched at the wall. I latch onto Konayuki, and pick her up and swing her around.

"**LET ME GO!**"

"Stop playing around, Akira-kun." Yuki giggles.

"Alright, alright." I reply, setting the now fuming girl down.

"_**Onii-chan...**_" Koneko had awakened, and walked over to me. She latched onto my leg, and climbed up to my shoulders.

"Good morning Koneko-chan." I smile.

"So I guess your decision is unanimous? Your bus will be here in a few minutes. Pack up what you have, and prepare to leave." Yuki says.

I nod. "It was nice meeting you." I hold out my hand to her. She smiles, and takes it. Then she pulls me in, and gives me a wet kiss on the cheek.

"**MOTHER!**" Konayuki shrieks.

"Just a little something to remember me by." She giggles at my massive blush.

Later, I was outside on the courtyard, most of the mikos seeing me off. Koneko was given new clothes, and she looked like a normal girl, well, minus the ears. I'll bring her to Sayanaki for a check up when we get back... Well, maybe under heavy scrutiny, along the lines of, forced at gunpoint with the threat of blowing him to smithereens if he tried something...

I knew what he was... And I could control a _**lot **_of guns...

"Take care." I wave farewell to them.

"Goodbye!"

"Visit soon!"

"**BE MY BOYFRIEND!**" There's silence for a second.

"Already taken!" I shout back.

Even more silence.

"**WHAT?-!**"

I turn around and run, maintaining a firm grip on Koneko. Arrows fly at me, and they're chasing me with swords.

"**YOU FLIRTATIOUS TWO TIMER!**"

"**NO GOOD PIECE OF TRASH!**"

"**I'LL KILL THE BITCH WHO TOUCHES MY AKIRA-KUN!**"

**WHAT THE FUCK DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?-!**

I leap into a taxi at the exit of the shrine's estate. "**DRIVE!**" And we're off. I stick an arm and my head out the window.

"See you soon!" I bid farewell with Koneko.

* * *

><p>I've made a few calls, and I've managed to secure a new two bedroom dorm. Man, Kouhei was surprised that I was moving out. But not that much, since the dorm room was right beside our old one.<p>

It was late at night when I arrived back at the academy.

"Welcome to my school." I told her, as we wandered the island. She looked on with wide, amazed eyes.

The grappling hook mechanism attached to my left wrist released a wire, and I swung it up to latch on to the roof of the dorms. It reeled us up, and we were on the roof, taking in the night time view of the academy.

Look at myself... I feel like some character in a fictional story. I've had my future predicted, I've gone on a trip to an all women "paradise", I've more or less adopted a catgirl... All that's left is for planes to start randomly falling out of the sky!

I blink.

**No. Fucking. Way.**

A plane just swooped down at a fast rate pass the dorm, and in an intense moment, just barely landed on the extra island attached to the school, and more or less crash lands near the end of it. Holy shit.

"... Am I dreaming...? Pinch me."

A pair of tiny hands pulls my cheeks apart. "Thanks Koneko."

She smiles at me, ears flapping.

"Now, let's go set up your room."

* * *

><p><strong>POV: Kinji Tooyama.<strong>

It was a few days after the plane incident, and I'm exhausted... So much stuff has been happening lately... And all this talk about this organization called EU... What is it, anyway?

"Come on!"

I'm following Aria and Riko through the boys' dorms, looking for a room.

"Why are you still here, anyway?" I ask Riko.

"Riko's taking refuge for now, until I can get a plea bargain!"

"Then why are we following you through the boys' dorms?-!" Aria shouted.

"Because first, we're going to meet this really scary EU operative!"

Aria and I stare at her, tensions rising. "Is this EU member responsible for some of the crimes against my mother?" She demanded an answer.

"Why don't you ask him?" Riko replied.

"What rank is he then?" Aria asked, preparing her guns for a fight.

"He's not ranked." She answered.

"Then there's nothing to worry about, right?" I ask.

"Wrong!" Riko chimed. "He's a Moderator! And one of the best, if not _**the**_ best Moderator in EU!"

Aria pales a bit. "R-Really?"

"What's a Moderator?" I ask her.

"He's the one of the guys responsible for most of EU's dirty work! He keeps the incompliant members of EU in line, by using negotiations, bribery, conning, or straight up violence! He helps protect the organization, but is the same chain that helps keeps it together! He keeps EU secret, efficient, and uses any means necessary to keep it that way!"

"Sounds like a scary guy..." I muse, checking over my gun as well now... Seems like we're going to be in for quite the fight... "Will someone tell me what EU is?"

"Here we are!" They just ignored me.

Huh, this EU member lives beside my "master", Akira De Leon...

"It's hard to believe such a guy lives so close." I murmur, Aria nodding. "It could be a trap..."

"I doubt it!" Riko chimes, "Even though he's scary sometimes, he's still a really nice guy to Riko!"

She pulls a few tools out of her pockets, and begins lock picking the door.

"Got it!" The door opens. We enter quietly. The guy sure lives in quite the nice dorm. A two bedroom dorm meant for 8 people, and this guy has it all to himself...

**Shuffle.**

Something scurries by us. We all have our weapons out, even Riko.

"What was that?" Aria asks.

"I don't know- There!" We swing to the side.

A small figure runs past us yet again, and Aria trips it. We all aim our guns at it, ready for anything. Well, almost anything.

Cowering and clutching a hurt knee, is a little girl. With cat ears and a tail. Wow.

"**Waaaaah!**" She cries.

"S-Sorry!" Aria squeals, trying to help her. We step over to assist her, when we suddenly freeze.

"What the hell?-!" We can't move one bit. It's like we're being restrained by chains of some sort.

"Don't panic!" Riko snaps.

**Clatter.**

As suddenly as we try to break out of something's invisible grasp, something begins to clatter. We freeze, staying as still as possible, well, we can't even move anyway, but we still freeze.

"What... The... Hell...?"

Around us, guns slowly rise from their places on tables. Handguns, submachine guns, shotguns, assault rifles. They rose from their places, and aimed at us. Like one mass motion, they primed, ready to fire at us. They drifted through the air, and formed a protective shroud around the girl.

"Koneko!" A young man runs and takes the girl into his arms, comforting her. Then he looks up.

**No. Fucking. Way.**

"**WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT?-!**" The man shouts at us, the guns mobilizing and snapping into place, aimed at our heads. He glared at us with a murderous fire in his eyes, which, from a single glance, made me feel...

That this man could kill us, at the slightest whim.

"... Riko? Kinji? Aria? What the hell are you doing in my dorm?"

It's Akira. Akira _**De Leon**_. My teacher. No way.

"Riko, what are you up to?"

"Er... Let me explain."

He releases some hold on us, and tells us to sit down around a table. Riko explains everything while he still coos comforting words to the girl in his arms.

"... So you want to bunk here while you wait for the verification of your plea bargain?"

"Just for a bit! Riko won't be of any trouble!" She tries to persuade him. He adopts a thoughtful expression.

"So... What's with the girl?" Riko asks.

"Her name's Koneko. And I'm her guardian, temporarily." The girl's ears spike up at the word temporarily, and adopts teary eyes. "O-Okay! Not temporarily!" He stammers. "Anyway... She's technically... My adoptive... I guess my adoptive daughter." He says us.

Riko gapes, while Aria and I blink.

The girl's, Koneko's, ears flap and her tail sways happily, content.

"_Can I call you Daddy?_" The girl asks him.

"Yes- Wait, what?"

"_Yay! Daddy!_" She chimes, and clings to him.

"... You all saw nothing."

We nod slowly. Very, very slowly.

**Knock. Knock.**

Someone was at the door.

"Hey! Akira! It's Kouhei Takeda, your best friend you hopefully didn't forget about, and Yuriko Chikanatsu, your psychotic girlfriend- **GAH!**"

"I'm not psychotic! Now open up! Hey... The doors opened already..."

Akira quickly stands up. "Not a word of EU, alright?"

A young man and woman enter the room.

"Akira! You missed the craziest week in the school's history!"

"I missed you! Where have you been?" The woman, Yuriko, pulls Akira into a long kiss.

The young man, Kouhei, and Riko whistle.

"Just... Out..." Akira weakly answers, breathless.

"Oh? Who's this?" Yuriko asks, looking at Koneko. Koneko walks up to her, looking up at her face.

"_Mommy!_" She points with a little finger at her.

Her jaw drops. "I-I'm not your mommy!" She stammers.

"_But you kissed Daddy! So that makes you Mommy!_" Koneko exclaimed.

Silence... Complete and utter silence...

Akira adopted a "oh shit, I'm fucked" expression.

"**AKIRA DE LEON! YOU WILL SIT DOWN, AND EXPLAIN!**" Yuriko roared.

* * *

><p><strong>POV: Akira De Leon.<strong>

"Well, I was working a Butei mission in Kyoto." I start off my meticulously crafted half-truth, half-lie. "I was hunting a drug operation with the Kyoto Police Department. During my time there, I spent the day scouring for leads. When I passed by an alley, during my search, I heard cries, and whimpering. I ran into the alley, and threw the lid off a dumpster. Inside, was Koneko, huddling and scared, a hand sliced open from broken glass." I held Koneko's hand, which was bandaged.

"Then I took her to the place I was staying. Which was the Kyoto Hotogi shrine."

Kinji blinks.

"They welcomed me, much to my surprise. They helped me treat Koneko, for both her injuries and other health problems. And for the next week, I juggled spending time with Koneko, and working on my mission."

"So why is she here?" Kouhei asked me.

"You know, I'll just let Koneko answer that one. I've got to go out and grab some food... Got to feed three mouths rather than two..." I stand up, glaring lightly at Kouhei. "Watch her for me, alright?"

I was about to leave, when a hand tugs on my wrist.

"_Don't go..._" It was Koneko, looking up at me with a sad expression.

... Damn you, guilt!

"I'll just be out for a bit. I'll be back as soon as possible, alright?" I assure her. She nods. "Just play with these guys while I'm gone." I give her a hug, and then leave for the grocery store.

* * *

><p><strong>POV: Kinji Tooyama.<strong>

Everyone simply just stared at the eccentric little girl. As soon as Akira left the dorm, she immediately latched on to Yuriko.

"I'm not your mommy!" She argued.

Koneko shook her head. "_Mommy._"

"But I'm not!"

"_You're Mommy, because Daddy loves you._" Koneko pointed out.

"So, Koneko-chan... Why are you here with Akira-ku- I mean Akira-san?" Riko asked the little girl, making sure not to use –kun in the presence of the guy-in-question's potentially psychotic girlfriend.

"_Because he's my family!_" Koneko chimed.

"But you two are not related." Riko pointed out.

"_So?_"

"Then you can't possibly be family." Aria interjected.

She looked hurt for a second.

"_But that's not what Daddy said!_" She argued.

"What did your... Your _**father**_ say to you?" Yuriko asks her.

"_Daddy said to me, that a family is made of people who love you very much! The people who spend time with you, the people who understand you, the people who care about you! That's what makes a family! I've never had a family before! And I don't wanna lose Daddy! Daddy gave me a name! Daddy spent time with me! Daddy understands me! Daddy cares for me!_" She shouted.

"So determined..." Aria murmured.

"Why are you so adamant about having Akira as your family?" Kouhei asked Koneko.

"_Because I love Daddy very much. That's why Daddy's my family._" She smiled happily.

Kouhei and I smile, as the girls gush over the little girl in Yuriko's arms.

* * *

><p><strong>POV: Akira De Leon.<strong>

I'm sitting in the park, collecting my thoughts. I'm in quite the predicament... And this one is not related to my problems concerning Koneko. Damn.

What to do now...? Well, like every single time I'm in a predicament of some sort, I'll just make a call.

"_**Hello?**_"

"Jeanne?"

"_**Ah! Akira-sempai!**_"

"Cut the honorifics, it's not like we're in the Vostok right now."

"_**Alright, Akira-kun.**_"

"... You know what, just forget it."

"_**So... Why did you take this occasion to call?**_"

"I've got a bit of a problem... Concerning one Riko Mine..."

"_**Ah? Riko?**_ _**What kind of problem- Oh yes, she failed that mission of hers- Oh my...**_"

"That's right... Since I'm a Moderator, I've got to "_**deal**_" with her..."

"_**She hasn't leaked out any of EU's secrets? Is she safe at the current moment?**_"

"Don't worry, she's just going for a plea bargain... I'll make sure she keeps EU secret... But how will EU react? She's a vulnerable source of information."

"_**She doesn't have that much information concerning EU... The only times you've had to do some "quieting" are when the involved party has information about the Vostok, irokane, or something very important, correct? So you shouldn't't have many problems.**_"

"Except one major one. You remember a certain "Vlad of Endless Sin"?"

"_**EU's famed #2? Why?**_"

"He's taken an unhealthy interest in Riko... And I know for a fact he's disappointed with her. He may try to pull something..."

"_**Why don't you just take care of him? It would solve your problems.**_"

"The power vaccum for control of the postition. People will fight for the spot, and kill for it as well. After all, infighting is allowed in EU, but I only have to deal with it when it gets out of hand..."

"_**Then take the position yourself. That would get rid of the issue entirely.**_"

"Then I would have more attention brought to myself. I'm trying to live as normal a life as possible when I'm not dealing with EU related things."

"_**I apologize that I'm not of much help...**_"

"No, no, it's okay. Say, what are you up to?"

"_**Actually, I'm preparing to travel to your school. I've got recruitment and a scouting to handle. The recruiting is classified though.**_"

"Then who are you scouting?"

"_**A person named... Kouhei Takeda.**_"

"... Damn."

"_**Are there any problems with that?**_"

"No, nothing... Just didn't expect it..."

"_**Do you know him?**_"

"You could say that..."

"_**I'll see you and Riko soon...**_ _**Ah, look at the time. I've got to go. My flight leaves in an hour. Goodbye!**_"

"Bye." The call ends.

God damn. Kouhei's being scouted for EU. I did not expect that... Oh well, might as well get those groceries now... And a steady supply of those peach buns... Apparently Koneko likes them...

* * *

><p><strong>POV: Kinji Tooyama.<strong>

Everyone's watching TV. Who knew Akira was rich? Riko told me that EU members got paid very well when they did some missions, or traded something valuable.

Oh, that reminds me. "Aria, apologize." I tell her.

"What? Why?" She hisses at me.

"You hurt her!" I point to Koneko.

"But it was an accident!"

"So? Just do it."

Begrudgingly, she complies.

"I'm sorry for tripping you..." She says embarrassed to Koneko. The little girl simply smiled, and held out a peach bun as a peace offering. Aria blinks, and takes it with thanks. Then she quietly walks back to her seat.

She takes a big bite of the bun.

"I like her." She says, eyes sparkling.

* * *

><p><strong>POV: Akira De Leon.<strong>

I sat back in the park, after getting the groceries. Damn it. Stupid future prediction...

_**You will adopt a kitten off the streets.**_ Already done.

_**You will kill a demon in his sleep. **_Will I kill Vlad? Seems likely...

_**You will fight for a princess chasing her throne. **_I don't know any royalty...

_**You will dance with a reaper in his home. **_That's vague as well...

_**You will wage a war under a burning flag...**_ What war? Is a war coming? Who's fighting?

_**And you will sleep in death's embrace. **_Should have figured. Everybody dies, it's just a matter of how and when. Will I die in this upcoming war?

What the hell am I going to do? What's going to happen to Koneko and Yuriko? What's going to happen to my life?

And last question.

Why do I keep asking myself questions that I don't know the answer to?

I sigh, and pick up the groceries. I sigh. Time to head home... To the people I care about...

To my family.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2 Complete! <strong>Not much to say to you people. So R/R, enjoy life, read great fiction, and let the creative juices flow. And not only for you lemon writers. Aw well. – EthernalRain


	3. Chapter 3: New Arrivals

**Chapter 3**

**New Arrivals**

* * *

><p><strong>I don't own Aria the Scarlet Ammo.<strong>

**And I also don't have much to say to you guys.**

**Oh, and DMAsh, the review is appreciated, and as an answer, this fic is pure AU. Also, the third years picking second years as apprentices was completely my idea. It's connection with Amica is pure coincidence. Some coincidence.**

**Now, on to the story.**

**LET'S DO THIS!**

* * *

><p><strong>POV: Akira De Leon.<strong>

Light flutters into the room, through the plastic blinds. I awaken from my dreamless sleep, rolling about in my "bed". Tonight I slept on the couch. Koneko was taking one room, while Riko took the other. My eyes drift towards my clock, taking note of the time.

It was early, a few hours before I had to go pick up Jeanne from the airport.

I sit up in my bed, rubbing my semi-callused hands through my hair. I strap my irokane to my wrist, and I set to work. Pans, tools, and ingredients float into the air, already assembling themselves and beginning the processes to make pancakes, while brooms sweep away the dust collected overnight. I, on the other hand, make my way across the myriad of moving things, and walk towards the rooms.

I step into Koneko's room, peering into the door. I spot her form rolling about the white sheets. I step in, pulling up a chair beside her bed. She's grumbling, moving around but not awake. Groans make their way to my ears, as she grips the blanket in her hands. She's probably having a nightmare.

I sit down beside her, stroking her head softly with a hand. She calms down at my touch, and soon, her groans become purrs. Her small hand reaches around, looking for something to grab. And she grabs my hand.

"You make a good father."

My head turns to the open door, and standing there in her nightdress is Riko.

"I try. Pancakes should be on the pantry." I tell her.

She peeks out into the kitchen. "They're there. You've gotten better at it."

"Loads of practice."

She smiles at me, and leaves to eat. I stand to join her, when I feel a tugging on my hand. I turn back, to see warm brown eyes stare back at me. "_Don't go..._" Koneko murmured.

A warm smile graces my face. "I won't." I reach my hands under her, and carry her fragile little form. I kiss her on the forehead, and leave the room. I don't have bad dreams anymore, since Koneko had entered my life. In fact, I didn't have dreams at all.

Not even the good ones...

* * *

><p>I wait at Arrivals at the airport, looking for that flash of silver hair to call out to me. Jeanne's flight had landed recently, and I was supposed to show her around Tokyo while an EU related contact took her small luggage to the school dorm.<p>

"Akira-kun!"

I grin, as I wave over the silver haired, blue eyed descendant of Jeanne d'Arc. "Welcome to Japan, Jeanne d'Arc the 30th."

She bows with a smile. "Thank you, Akira De Leon."

We awkwardly hug, arms wrapping around each other.

"_I wanna hug too..._"

Koneko tugs on the leg of my pants. Jeanne blinks, staring at her, trying to figure out who she was. I let go of Jeanne, and then pat Koneko on the head fondly with a smile. "Maybe later Koneko."

I watch the hat she had on her head twitch and she shuffled inside the folds of the little dress Riko had put on her. She grumbles, unable to hear much through the fabric, her tail folded up and tucked away. So she resorts to hugging my leg. Jeanne simply stared at her.

"Daddy, she's staring at me." She said, tugging some more on my pant leg. "It's scaring me."

Jeanne's jaw could have hit the flow. "Daddy...? But- Wait- _**WHAT**_?" I palm my forehead as she stammers. "_**But last I checked Chikanatsu wasn't pregnant! Or was she? Did you knock her up?-!**_" She says, still staring at the girl clinging to my leg to see if she existed.

"Jeanne, meet my _**adopted**_ daughter Koneko. Koneko, meet your father's friend, Jeanne d'Arc."

Koneko looks back at Jeanne. And with wide, sparkling eyes, she says, "_Hello_." I swear, Jeanne twitched at the sheer cuteness of it all. Come on, Koneko was adorable!

"We need to talk." Jeanne narrows her eyes at me.

* * *

><p><strong>POV: Jeanne d'Arc the 30<strong>**th****.**

I stare down the older teen before me, as we sat in a cafe. His explanation for the little girl clinging to him like a magnet was fairly solid. I had my doubts, but here she was, eating ice cream while he doted on her. This girl really was Akira De Leon's daughter, even if she was adopted.

"Shall we talk business?"

His attention is reluctantly brought to me. "Fine. What's new?" He asked.

"Nothing much. New recruits are coming in by the boatload, and they're being apprenticed faster than your daughter seems to be able to eat ice cream." I tell him, prodding a finger in the direction of the small tower of bowls beside his little girl. "So, how have you been lately?" I ask.

"I've been well; Kouhei, Yuriko and I have been sliding past pretty effortlessly."

"Kouhei? As in Kouhei Takeda?" I raise an eyebrow. This caught my attention. "You seem close with him."

"He's been my best friend and roommate for the last few years." He replies, fingering a can of soda in his hands.

"That could prove a problem." I point out.

"Not really. Out of all the people I'd recommend to recruit, it would be him. Or Aria H. Kanzaki, or my own apprentice. Perhaps the rigorous training would be good for the useless little brat." He mused.

"And why is that?" I ask him, curious.

"Kouhei knows what it's like to live the hard life, Aria can handle it, and Kinji... He's neck deep in it all, even if he isn't aware of it."

Aria and this Kouhei figure I can understand, but this Kinji? Why him?

"If you were to meet him, you'd like him." He smiled, as if knowing I was thinking about this Kinji.

I frown at him, slightly undignified by his cockiness.

"I doubt such would be the case."

He chuckles quietly, standing. "Come on, I promised to show you Japan at its finest, so let's go."

Japan indeed was a fine country. With amazing cuisine, a rich cultural history, and very polite people, I understand why this place is high on the charts for choices to live. But I still wonder why people stare at me as I walk by. It's not only the men, but sometimes the women do too.

Is it because of my hair? I know I'm a foreigner and all. There's also the fact that I wear the uniform of a French Butei student, they could believe that I am a high ranking Butei working overseas. But then again, there was the fact that I walked hand in hand with my colleague and his quite adorable daughter between us.

He was dressed in a fine jacket, not looking poor or commonplace at all. He, I admit, is handsome, and looks fairly wealthy at that, I'm not surprised people tend to turn an eye towards him as he walks. He's cocky at times, but that comes with his position. He radiates a confidence that seems to shout out to the world that he's ready to take it on.

I haven't begun to make an understanding of the Akira De Leon Fanclub that meets monthly on the Vostok. The Professor doesn't mind as much, but they take up an entire missile silo and hamper the engineers' attempts to maintain it when they make a mess of it. Akira's a nice boy. Not my type though.

Do I even have a type?

He walks us over to a bench, sitting his daughter down. "I'll go get us some drinks." He walks off, leaving me and Koneko sitting on that bench by tree. I sit down beside the small girl. Small was an understatement. The girl was absolutely tiny!

I could have picked her up with just a single hand!

Koneko kicks her feet around, smiling vibrantly. The sheer aura of cuteness... If harnessed, it could have been a WMD. That look that seems to bend anyone into her will... She'd be perfect for EU once she was older, and could properly handle a weapon.

She moves over from her seat, crawling over to me. My eyes widen as she plops down into my lap, a foolish grin growing on her face.

A bunch of middle aged women start giggling at us. "Oh, your daughter's so adorable!" One croons over to me.

...

_**My**_ daughter? "It must be so difficult being a single mother at your age! And as a Butei no less!" She says to me. Wait, what?

"And that figure! After having a child! Amazing!"

"Wait, you don't understand-" They really didn't understand. I am not her mother! I am just watching her for her father!

But the fates decided to spit in my eye.

"Daddy!" Koneko cried, hopping off my lap. I watch the little girl run over to Akira, who had shown up in the distance with some sort of Japanese drink in his hands. The girl had closed the distance between us and him in the blink of an eye. Definitely EU material.

She launched from the ground, leaping towards her father. She grappled onto his torso, rubbing his chest appreciatively. He laughed, curling the girl under one arm, while continuing to walk over to me.

"I got something you might like." He handed the strange drink over to me. Oh, it was just bubble tea. I've had some in France, just flavoured milk, tea, and tapioca. Nothing too special. Wait, that's not the point.

The middle aged women gaped at my "husband and daughter".

"Such an adorable family! How old are you sir?" One of the women asked him. He blinked. Don't answer Akira, don't answer-

"17." He answered, blinking at the random question.

In the vulgarity of the crazier sorts of EU's ranks, I have one word to say. _**CRAP**_. The woman simply gaped at my "husband". "We're getting out of here." I quickly say, dragging on Akira's hand.

I pull him off to the side. "**What are you doing?**" I ask him.

"The woman just asked me my age-"

"Aren't you worried about that kind of thing?" I ask him blankly. In France, I had Durandal hidden somewhere on my body, and even a CZ 100 for uses against the more "assertive" kind of people.

"I'm a Butei student with guns hidden all over my body. I can make them float plus shoot, and I can shower more lead over a single area faster than anything on earth. I'm not scared of much." He answered bluntly.

I palm my forehead. "Just... Oh just come with me."

I drag him off, eager to both see more sights and put this behind me.

* * *

><p>It was evening by the time Akira had shown me most of Tokyo. It was entertaining to say the least, finally learning and seeing more of what Riko had glamorized in her various tales. When she wasn't prancing around in frilly, strange outfits... I watched Koneko tug on her father's hand. "Daddy, can we ride that!"<p>

The two of us look towards the tall observation wheel in the distance. Akira looked at it with a thoughtful look. Koneko turned her head down, perhaps disappointed, thinking her father wouldn't agree to such a request. The ride was probably expensive. "Come on, we can make it if we hurry."

Make it for what? Akira picked his daughter up, and broke out into a run.

"Wait for me!"

We arrived at the base of the mechanical structure, looking around. The line was packed with people. "Lemme show you a secret." Akira tells me. He leads us back into an alley, near the maintenance doors. A guard notices us, then tries to stop us. Akira flashes his Butei Licence, which technically allowed him to go anywhere.

"You're not the first student to try that." The guard says, prodding back towards the line.

"I'll make it worth your while..." Akira hums, pulling out a small wad of bills. Ouch, that amount would put a small dent in my account.

"I'm listening." The guard grinned.

A few minutes later, we were jammed near the front of the line, among the people waiting to get on to a compartment. Once we had gotten in, Akira had paid an employee for some privacy. And soon, we were up on our way.

Koneko's eyes were glued to the glass, eagerly watching the outside. Akira just smiled fondly at the two of us, relaxing. The light of a beautiful sunset drenched our compartment with light. Koneko squinted her eyes, looking out towards the water. The bright smile on her face seemed to warm my heart like a hearth's fire.

Akira stood and moved to sit beside her. He smiled as brightly as Koneko had, reaching out and holding her left hand. He looked older then, wearier. As if he had been shouldering the weight of the world, and only now he could rest from his burdens. For all I knew, this day could have been a break from a chaotic life. Life was indeed chaotic and violent for members of EU, and for the Moderators, even more so.

"Daddy, do you love me?" Koneko asked, still holding onto her father's much larger hand.

I raise my eyebrow as Akira and I share a look.

"I love you, Koneko. Don't worry about that." He smiles at her.

A smile graces my own face. He said that with such surety, warm emotion flaring in his eyes. When something like that happened, I knew Akira wasn't lying. He was a bad liar when it came to the people he cared about. But you could always know when he was telling the truth.

The smile on my face grows wider, as the father and daughter share a tight hug.

They were a true family, a fact no one had the right to contest.

* * *

><p><strong>POV: Akira De Leon<strong>

I watch Riko chase Jeanne across the living room.

"Come on! Put it on!" Riko urged her, waving some frilly outfit in her direction.

"_**No!**_" Jeanne shouted, diving behind the couch. Riko hopped after her, and the game of cat and mouse continued. It had been three days since Jeanne's arrival. The preparations for the sports festival were abound, students running left and right to train and prepare for their events. Kouhei was taking his time at the gymnasium with Yuriko as a sparring partner, both of them trying to win first in the kendo and sword fighting divisions, while I had taken some practice up with firefights and simulation contests.

Many of the third years were getting into the swing of training, while I spent my time avoiding Kinji and his little friend while trying to raise Koneko.

Speaking of which, I had to visit a certain vampire for a check-up._** CRAP**_.

"You seem healthy." Tooru Sayanaki said to me as I sat down beside his desk in his office.

"I'm doing well. You?" I ask, holding onto Koneko tightly.

"The same." He answered, fingering a folder holding my fabricated medical records. As much as I'd like to believe I'm invincible, it was far from the case. To cover the evidence of wounds obtained in multiple battles, I had Sayanaki cover my medical records with fake ones he wrote up. Just another favour in a list I so desperately wanted gone.

"So, this is your daughter." He sat down at his desk, looking straight at me. "What do you need?"

"I just need you to make sure that Koneko's healthy. That's it."

He nodded, pulling out a suitcase. "Shall we keep this professional?"

"As professional as I can morally allow." I reply, sitting Koneko on the desk.

"Well then, we need to get her vaccinations up to date..."

Sayanaki pulled up a needle, which was why he was bandaging my face minutes later, with Koneko clinging to my leg and my blood dressing her sharp pointy nails...

"Some kid." He muses, putting away a blood soaked towel.

"I know, right?" I reply, prodding at the bandages adorning my head with a flinch. That hurt so much. Koneko crawled up to my lap, nuzzling my cheek affectionately.

"_Sowwy..._" She murmurs. My cheek's on fire with pain. But I endure for the love of my daughter.

_**Owwwwww...**_

"Anything else you need?" He asks me.

"No, I guess." I stand. "Thanks, Sayanaki."

"Don't come by too often."

"Wait, one thing..." I start off, "I have to tell the staff about this, one way or another. I can't just keep Koneko holed up in my room for the rest of her life. It'll be just a matter of time before someone sees her." I tell him.

"You'll deal with it when it happens. **Now get out of my office.**"

* * *

><p>I clean a shotgun in one hand, flicking through the TV with another, trying to ignore the sounds from Riko's bedroom as she tried to force a dress upon Jeanne. I was trying my hardest to ignore them. My absolute hardest, the cries sounded suspiciously like Kouhei's hentai-<p>

"_**HENTAI-BAKA! QUIET THAT CRAP DOWN! THERE ARE CHILDREN HERE!**_"

"_**Sorry...!**_" seeps through the wall.

That guy will _**never**_ get a girlfriend at this rate.

Koneko filches the remote from my hand, switching to children's cartoons. I smile as she hops to the beat of an opening tune, ears flapping and tail swaying with the tempo. I heft the shotgun over my shoulder, sighing.

Just another day in the life of Akira De Leon.

I hold Koneko by the hand, touring her by the hand around the campus. Student's eyes drew to us, but I paid them no mind. I groan, palming my head. I was on my way to discuss Koneko with the staff, but I had gotten side tracked. Koneko asked for a tour.

I couldn't say no to her. Neither could Riko, nor Jeanne, or even Kouhei and Yuriko.

I pick up Koneko quickly, as I hear the one thing I didn't want to hear. _**FANGIRLS**_. I hide behind a tree, as a small crowd of female Butei run by, each screaming about finding out who the girl with their "precious Akira-kun" was. I thought Yuriko had squashed them all out by now.

"Here."

A feeling of calm washed over me, as I stared into my hand. Completely see-through. I had become invisible. "Hey Kouhei." I say, feeling Koneko shift around uncomfortably. "Yuriko beat the crap out of you yet?"

I see the shimmering of light as Kouhei creased his lips into a nervous smile. "Yes. She takes her anger out on me since she doesn't want to do it on you..." He grumbled.

"You're getting better at this. More experience with your irokane isn't bad. Thanks for the help."

"Don't mention it." He sighed. "Really, don't, it's a secret."

Having an irokane of invisibility kicked ass. But mine was still cooler.

"This is so cool!" Koneko chimed.

"Cooler than my ability?" I ask her.

"Um... No."

I grin as Kouhei's pride is wounded.

The two of us pale as we see the teachers walk by.

"I haven't seen something of this scale since Kinji Tooyama enrolled."

"We still haven't found his fanclub yet."

"They hide in the air ducts. They can go anywhere in those."

What? I don't know what shocked me more. That my fangirls are wreaking so much havoc that the Masters have to be involved, or the fact that my apprentice has a fangirl network that lives in the air ducts. They can go anywhere in those...

"Let's get out of here."

* * *

><p>I stared down Riko as she wolfed down cookie after cookie with Koneko by her side. This wouldn't dent my wallet, but even I had to tilt my head at the sheer amount of baked goods funnelled into such a small form. "Eat too many of those and you're gonna get fat, you know that?" I muse.<p>

Riko glares at me. "Uo I womph! (No I won't!)" She said through a full mouth. Note to self, buy antacids and low-fat cookies.

I stand from my seat, patting Koneko in on the head while I poured Riko some milk with the power of telekinesis. She slurped it down heartily, as I make my way for the door. Might as well visit Kouhei again. Training had gotten into full swing this close to the festival, so I doubted he was home. Might as well hide his manga in strange places...

I unlock the door with the key I had kept all this time, and step in quietly.

"Hello, Akira-kun."

"Um... Hi Akira."

I blink, as I stare into the eyes of Yutori Takamagahara, our math teacher and the Master of the Inquesta division.

"Er... She bribed me." Kouhei admitted.

"I didn't bribe you, Kouhei-kun." The young woman pouts, holding her clipboard with dignity.

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

The two bicker like a married couple, Kouhei frantically blushing before our math teacher. Something was going on here... Heheheheh... Oh wait, secret revealed.

"Akira-kun, would you care to explain the rumours of you having a little girl staying in your dorm? Your friend doesn't seem to want to talk."

Damn it.

"Er..."

"Daddy? Riko-chan ate all the cookies..."

Skipping into the room, was Koneko. _**Oh dear crap. Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap.**_ I am screwed beyond comparison.

_**Why Kouhei, why must your determination falter before the might of any reasonably attractive woman?**_

* * *

><p>I sat before the Masters, the faculty of the Tokyo Butei Academy, like a criminal on trial. They stared back at me, trying to figure out the reason why I was here. It wasn't the first time. But now there was possibility that I was a lolicon who enticed little girls into living with me.<p>

Which wasn't true at all.

Umeko Tsuzuri, the head of Dagula, the interrogations department, stared me down. Frankly, she scared the living crap out of me. As the head of the interrogations department, she could break any criminal into revealing any bit of information they may know. She's heralded as one of the best interrogators in Japan. Most of the criminals who are interrogated by her end up calling her "Goddess" or "Queen" as the result of their experience, which was probably traumatic.

And she was staring me down. Believe me; I wasn't going to call her a goddess or queen anytime soon.

"So, would you care to explain?" She asked.

My eyes drift to the wall, behind which was a room where Yutori was playing with Koneko and trying to figure out our kind of relationship with each other. This was going to be hard to explain. It was hard enough to fabricate a fake Butei mission to Kyoto, but this... My ties EU could be revealed.

"I-"

"Wait." Tooru Sayanaki stepped into the room. Why was he here? I thought he'd just leave me to my fate. He had a folder tucked under his arm, and had taken a seat.

"Sayanaki, why are you here?"

"Because I'm involved in the welfare of a legally named, Koneko De Leon..." He answered, opening the folder.

"Would you have information concerning this?" My Queen asked.

...

Three years ago, she broke me during the time I sat in a Dagula class as a middle school student applying to graduate into the high school division. It was one of the most traumatic experiences in my life. Other than a few that completely surpass it... One of the terms that made it so she never brought the moment up in my life again, would be that I refer to her as "Queen" every once in a while.

I swear she smiles when I say it. She _**never**_ smiles with that stoned expression and the cigarette in her mouth... For some reason, my mind has resorted into calling her Queen if I don't focus on calling her by name... The experience was that traumatic.

"Koneko De Leon is a by-product of illegal experimentation by a group taken down by the Kyoto Butei Division, Armed Prosecutors, and one Akira De Leon." Sayanaki lied. As if I would work with those bastard Armed Prosecutors.

Most of the staff shifted at the sound of "illegal experimentation".

"From a fetus, she was fused with a small percentage of cat DNA, which explains the cat ears and tail. No, they are not cruel cosplay sewn into her flesh, they are in fact real." He explained.

Some of the staff members pale.

"At the small facility young Koneko grew up with, she experienced many traumatic things as she progressed through the years. As of such, she was plagued with mental and physical traumas such as loneliness, malnutrition, and in severe cases we have uncovered, starvation for days at a time." Sayanaki lied with a small bit of truth.

Being reminded of the hardships Koneko had suffered through, they stung quite a bit.

"During the destruction of the laboratory, Butei Student #766821, Akira De Leon, had stumbled across young Koneko himself. He had tended to her injures, and brought it upon himself to take care of her in this event of a Case E8. He handled himself expertly, and so the laboratory was quietly dismantled while it's staffing executed by Armed Prosecutors." Yeah, fictional staffing executed by fictional Armed Prosecutors.

"How had he handled this Case E8?" My Queen asked. _**Damn it.**_ Stop calling her Queen!

"He had contact with a party that helped him with his issue, which would be the Hotogi of Kyoto."

Some of the teachers raise their eyebrows.

"They're my trusted source." I answer honestly. I enjoyed my stay very much.

"During the time he had stayed with Koneko at the Hotogi, ascertaining her health and giving her the appropriate medical care, it became apparent that her psychological health was strained. She had become attached to the Butei that had rescued her, and he, had become attached to her. You see, young Koneko De Leon didn't have much. To be honest, she didn't have anything, until Akira De Leon stepped into her life. He gave her a name. He gave her a life she never would have had without his interference. She would have died in that laboratory, or out on the streets. Now she's here, with a father who seems to love her, and a bright future ahead of her."

...

...

...

Maybe I misjudged Sayanaki. "He's a great father. Just get rid of his porn." Bastard. You defend my ass, and you finish with talking about porn that doesn't- well, maybe- just stop talking about material that is statistically improbable to exist under my mattress.

Yeah. Blame Kouhei.

Yutori stepped into the room, Koneko hanging off her arm. "Daddy!" She ran up to me, leaping into my arms. She hugged me with vigour, tail swaying wildly. I hug her back, and narrow my eyes at my Queen.

"Hmph. Consensus?" She asks the rest of the staff.

"She should stay with him. I know for a fact he can raise a child." Yutori said.

"What about his studies? They'll decline rapidly with a daughter to raise."

"He's an S-rank student for a reason."

"What about home life? I doubt it's of good quality."

"I can vouch for them." Sayanaki said. I don't know why he's doing this. To have one over someone like me? He doesn't do much without something in return.

The staff continues to argue while Koneko relaxes in my arms.

"Consensus reached. Akira De Leon, stand before your masters."

Please don't make me bow again.

I set Koneko down, and stand.

"Akira De Leon, do you swear to raise Koneko De Leon to the best of your ability?"

"I swear." I answer without hesitation.

"Then, Akira De Leon, Koneko De Leon, I now pronounce you father and daughter. You can now hug your child."

And so I do, with a foolish grin on my face and half the teachers clapping us along with tears in their eyes.

And I swore my Queen was smiling. She never smiles. It's statistically improbable like the chance of porn under my mattress. Oh wait...

_**Daaaaaaamn**_.

* * *

><p><strong>POV: Kinji Tooyama.<strong>

For one, as a child, I never thought I would be living through such a dire fantasy of a life. I didn't think I had an ability that could count as a superpower in some manga. I didn't think I would become a practical mercenary. And I didn't think I would be hosting a fire-tempered short girl with a fuse even shorter than her height.

Who currently had my gun in one hand, and a manga of which I didn't want to explain to someone like her...

"Y-You read such dirty things! _**BAKA-KINJI**_!"

I dive to the right as she starts shooting at me with _**my own gun**_. I had handed it to her because she wanted to see the pros of owning a Beretta... _**Only in Butei High, only in Butei High...**_ Anyway, she noticed the manga in question sticking precariously out of my hiding place. She hadn't seen the rest.

Thank gods.

I crawl from the couch, slowly heading towards the balcony. And with a great leap of faith, I'm outdoors and in the air. And the water creeps closer... And closer...

Until it drowns me in black.

* * *

><p>I sit in the gymnasium locker room, checking my gun and nestling a bruise on my side. Getting shot even with bullet-proof clothing hurts more than most think. Aria seemed to be interested in something here, probably the sparring rings, or even the equipment we have. They're probably different than the stuff she has in London. The sound of gunshots rings in my ear, but I ignore them due to the fact that the target range is nearby.<p>

I stand and enter the gym, fingering my weapon as I watch targets explode in sequence. Aria's panting, as both her smoking guns were aimed at the shreds of paper littering the ground.

"Nice to see you here." I turn around, and spot my "teacher", hefting a Beretta M93r in one hand, and a knife in the other.

I keep silent, staring at the guy. This was the same guy trying to press me into the job I didn't really want. But after meeting Aria, I guess I could be a Butei for a bit longer than originally planned. But I will quit eventually, Butei Charters be damned.

"Well, I've got training to do, if I don't, the airsoft and paintball teams will kill me." He tells me walking off while glancing at Aria. There's something his eyes, an apprehension. He's an EU member.

EU member.

Tries to avoid Aria.

Well, he tries to avoid me too, but that might be because he's lazy, and that I'm connected to Aria. But there's that chance. That little chance... It makes sense, no matter how little that sense may be.

Akira De Leon might be responsible for some of the crimes against Aria's mother. Riko had been, and she seemed close with this him.

"Why's he here?" Aria asks as she holsters her weapons.

"Training." I answer her.

I watch him twirl his weapons once, aiming his gun at a target. With a short burst, the bullets flew. The target line was centered with the bull's-eye on the shoulder of the man's silhouette. They didn't hit the bulls-eye.

They all struck through the silhouette's head.

"That's not how you do it." Aria says, walking to stand beside her. She raised one gun, and fired a single bullet. The bullet struck the bull's-eye perfectly.

"I know what I'm doing, Aria H. Kanzaki." He answers bluntly, not paying attention to her and taking aim once more. He fired another burst, this one striking the exact center of the silhouette's chest.

"Why do you do that? You're going to kill someone!" Aria near shouts at him.

"That's what I'm aiming for." He replies, then fires another burst into the silhouette's head.

"Why?"

"Because of my job. It's easy." He told her. "Just a pull of the trigger, watch your enemy go down in a cloud of blood and gore. Oh so very easy..."

"And what kind of job would make you do such horrible things?" She shouted.

He lowers his gun, and turns to look her in the eye. He looks up, straight at me, with those weary, pressured eyes, then looks back down at her. "I am Akira De Leon. Moderator #76 of EU. I am a lawman and an assassin. I kill people for a living, Aria H. Kanzaki. It's what I'm good at."

"But it's not honourable!"

"Honourable? Honor is worthless out there." He tells her.

"Then what about morals!"

"Morals? They can be twisted to suit anything."

"Wait- Then- But- _**It's just not right!**_" She yells at the top of her voice.

"There's no such thing as truly right or truly wrong. Learn that soon, and you'll survive. Maybe you'll save your mother that way." He turns around, moving towards another target.

His words caused Aria to shake with anger.

"Don't turn away from me!" He didn't turn around. "Don't run away from your problems! Don't hide behind your words! Face me! _**Don't be a coward**_!"

At that, he turned around, staring into her eyes. The two stared into each other's eyes, unmoving. Tension ran rampant through the air. And then his mouth creased into an expression of distaste.

"_**Naive.**_"

That word hit Aria hard.

"_Akira De Leon..._" She shook. She steeled herself, snapping her guns out and aiming them at Akira. "_**Are you responsible for crimes against my mother?**_"

Silence.

"_**Yes**_."

You could hear a pin drop. The single word answer was just barely heard, but it was there. I couldn't believe it. Aria froze, eyes widening.

Here he was, a criminal who had helped take away Kanae Kanzaki from her daughter.

He turns to face her, quickly drawing his own gun. I draw my own, and shoot. The bullet strikes his gloved hand, sending his gun flying with a clatter. Akira takes note of it, rubbing his sore hand before glancing at Aria.

"What are you going to do, Aria H. Kanzaki? Are you going to fight me? Are you going to _**kill**_ me?"

Aria began to shake, her aim beginning to falter. "_**SHUT UP! YOU'RE JUST A CRIMINAL!**_"

"Aria... There's no such thing as right or wrong."

He stares right into Aria's eyes. "You believe I'm a criminal. You want me dead, or probably in jail at worse. Can I ask you something, Aria? What do you think happens to "criminals" like me?"

She's silent.

"A little something called Execution by Armed Prosecutors. They'll hunt someone like me down, and kill me. They won't stop there. They'll _**murder **_anyone to do with them. You know why I turned down an Armed Prosecutor's apprenticeship? Why I hate them beyond anything I've ever known? Do you want to know why I committed my first real crime?"

"... Why?"

"My first real crime... I went with my "master" of an Armed Prosecutor to his job. I watched him kill a criminal with his own bare hands."

"A typical occurrence." She answers, still aiming at him.

Akira's mouth creased into a grin. "Heh. Hah. _**Hahahahahah**_!" He laughs crazily, almost madly. His lungs cried mirth.

His eyes cried pain.

"He didn't just kill the criminal. _**I watched him kill the man's child in cold blood**_."

I felt my skin pale, as Aria's did the same.

"_**All the child was responsible for was being the child of a man who killed another Armed Prosecutor.**_" He laughed, eyes now clouded with a mad sadness.

"_**So I broke Law #9. And I tore my "master" to shreds with hot lead and dumped him in the Tokyo Bay. It was easy, Aria. A pull of the trigger... And I watched him die.**_"

Aria began to shake more violently.

"They call the Armed Prosecutors "_**heroes**_" on the news. A hero is a naive concept created by those who lack the will to take their own matters into their own hands. There's no such thing as heroes, Aria H. Kanzaki. There's no such thing as villains. There's no such thing as honor."

He took a step towards Aria, who snapped her gun up steady.

"You want honor, Aria? 17 years was the number of years added to your mother after that. I covered my tracks well, and she was only charged with third degree murder... I owe her a debt that I can't repay."

"Just turn yourself in." Aria orders him. I continue aiming at him.

"Aria, have my words fallen on deaf ears? I can't turn myself in. I'll gleefully kill any Armed Prosecutor to come after me. Riko was in EU, but not as deep as I am. I have a death warrant hanging over my head, waiting to drop on me at the worst possible moment of my life. They won't just kill me. _**They'll kill Koneko**_."

Aria gasps.

"You have information. You know who I am, what my job is in EU. You can tell the police, you can tell anyone. And they'll come for me and try to kill me. They'll try to kill Koneko, my mother, Yuriko, Kouhei. They won't just murder me."

The weight of his words hit us harder than the others.

"_**My life is in your hands, Aria H. Kanzaki. You have the lives of everyone I care about. You can kill them all at the drop of a hat, all so you can have your mother back.**_" Akira growls.

"_**I won't kill you Aria. But I am not going to have the people I care about in danger.**_"

They stare down each other.

"You know what? Let's have a duel, a good old fashioned British one. Toss me a gun." He answers.

Aria stares at him blankly. "You want an honourable fight? We'll duel." He says.

They walk up to each other, and Aria reluctantly hands him her chrome plated Colt. "First blood?"

"First blood."

They stand back to back.

"10 paces, turn, shoot."

"3."

"2."

"1."

"Go."

They walk. Akira hits 10 paces first, aiming Aria's gun at her. Aria quickly follows his example, turning on her heel, with her own weapon out. Neither of them shoot.

"Come on. Shoot me Aria. Are you really willing to orphan a child for your own goals?"

She grits her teeth.

"Aria. Shoot me. This isn't something for your own gain... Isn't it?"

She curls her finger around the trigger.

"Come on Aria, shoot me."

She tugs the hammer back.

"_**ARIA H. KANZAKI! SHOOT ME!**_"

_**Bang.**_

Akira sighs. He rubs his bleeding cheek with one hand. Aria shuddered, gun lowered to the ground. And then she fell to her knees, and she began to cry.

"_**Waaaaaaaaah!**_" She sobbed.

I run over to her, kneeling down beside her. She grabs on to me, and sobs into my shoulder. I didn't know what to say to her. If a solution wasn't found, and even if she cleared her mother's name... She'd still have to wait 17 years apart from her mother.

She couldn't handle it.

Akira walked over to us. I stare up into his grizzled eyes.

"Here." He tosses Aria's gun to the floor, and then turns to leave. "Oh, Kinji? See me here tomorrow. We need to talk."

And then he leaves.

As his back disappears from sight, Aria sweeps the gun from the floor. She cradles it to her chest, and widens her eyes. She ejects the magazine from the gun Akira had used.

It was empty.

_**My life is in your hands, Aria H. Kanzaki. **_Those were his words.

Akira had lost the battle, lost the duel... But Aria lost her argument, and had lost precious time with her mother in the process. Akira had risked his life to prove a point. But when it came down to what was important...

Aria H. Kanzaki had lost. Akira De Leon had won.

* * *

><p><strong>POV: Akira De Leon.<strong>

"Why do you help me?" I ask Tooru Sayanaki, while he disinfects my face as I sit in his office.

"Because it's my job as an Ambulance instructor." He answers, applying a bandage.

"Isn't that just a cover?" I raise an eyebrow.

"And that it is. Might as well make it believable. And try to cover the blatant dislike we have for each other."

"... Thanks for helping me with Koneko." I answer.

"Just this once."

Yuki Hotogi's prediction keeps coming back to me. _**You will kill a demon in his sleep... **_Am I going to kill Sayanaki? I kind of owe him one.

Just another debt in a long list I really want gone.

"Well, thanks again." I stand, nodding. "You're a really nice guy when it comes down to it, isn't it? Even if you're not really human."

Sayanaki sighs, popping the cork off a wine bottle.

"_**I may not be human, Akira De Leon... But that doesn't make me a demon.**_"

I nod in agreement. "Thanks for everything."

He's quiet for a bit.

"You're welcome._** Now get out of my office**_."

* * *

><p>I sit down on my sofa, tapping my foot with a can of soda in my hand.<p>

"Would you please stop that? I'm trying to read."

"Sorry Jeanne." I sigh.

My prediction... Will it really come true? Will another demon come into my life, and take the place of the demon I had planned on killing? Because, after all this...

When the time comes, can I really kill Tooru Sayanaki?

"Daddy! Mommy's here!"

...

...

...

...

...

_**CRAP.**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 3 Complete!<strong>_

_**We shall see Akira De Leon deal with his angry lover during the next instalment of On The Winds of Change! I don't have much to say to you guys right now.**_

_**So until next time, I guess. **__**Not much to say to you people. **__**So R/R, enjoy life, read great fiction, and let the creative juices flow. And not only for you lemon writers. Aw well. – EthernalRain**_


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